Heart of Youkai
by VaniaMajor
Summary: Sesshoumaru has got more power with a gaijin near him. But is the power the only thing she will bring into his life? A Ses-chan story with I/K and M/S couples!
1. Default Chapter

HEART OF YOUKAI  
  
Disclaimer: All characters of this fiction are of Rumiko Takahashi, except Anna, she is mine! This fic is based on Sesshoumaru, but all the others are present!! Be patient and merciful with me, please, this is my first fic! ^_0 I'm sorry for wrong verbs and errors. Can you forgive me? ^_^;;;  
  
CHAPTER 1: AS IT FINISHED  
  
The youkai's figure appeared at the moonlight, while he jumped with astonishing agility from a branch to the other, running through the forest. He was in pursuit of something that emanated darkness more deep than his own, but this something was not a true youkai. He was not alone. In front of him, at a short distance, others ran in the night. Sesshoumaru gave a freeze glance to the clear figures in the distance, their minds completely inside the haunting. Naraku, the half demon that had brought with him the hate of many peoples, was escaped from Mount Harukei. Bankotsu, Jakotsu and Renkotsu had found an end, too much pitiful in his opinion. Inuyasha, his damned freak brother, was been able to kill all the Shichinin-tai, when the houshi and the demon hunter had neutralized the holy mummy and his barrier. Kagura, the Wind-User, and Kanna, that albino brat, had distracted that little group of idiots, with his brother on head, so Naraku could escape, bringing his offsprings with him. All, except the boy, Kohaku; Naraku had taken the Shikon fragment from his back and the boy was dead in the arms of his sister. The stupid woman of Inuyasha, that was attending him outside the barrier, was kidnapped by Naraku, which now had all the Shikon no Kakera. Now, all the peoples that hated him were in pursuit of him. If they were fast, they were been able to put a stop at that damned Naraku's life. Sesshoumaru looked with cold curiosity his brother's impetuosity. The hanyou's anger, his desperation, filled up the air. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. He didn't understand the 'lose of control' of his stupid brother, that joke of destiny. What could represent the life of a human mortal compared to revenge, for which shrewdness and blood cold were needed? He didn't think that his personal revenge involved a little human, Rin. After all, Sesshoumaru was in anger because the insult undergone, it was a question of principle. He had left the child with Jaken and now he was in the haunting, with his brother's group. Inuyasha was too much caught in the thoughts of his woman in the enemy's hands for reach his presence. The miko made of earth and bones was also near, and the wolf youkai was with the humans. What a strange group.not peoples that he, the Lord of Western Land, could go with in normal times. "He can't be very far!" he heard the houshi said. He was riding on a demon with the tajiya. "NARAKUU!!!!- glared Inuyasha, filled up the forest with his anger- If only you've dare to touch Kagome..I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!" Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead another time. Why did his brother feel those intensive feelings? It was evident that he was in love with that human wench, that she was his chosen mate. Bah, the same mistake of their father.he couldn't understand. "There's no one so important to feel a pain like this." murmured with cold voice. He looked in front of him. The forest sprang in a clearing. Now, he could see him. Naraku had stopped his run; he just attended his enemies. Known that all the fragments of Shikon no Tama were in his hands, that damned wanted to close the game. A smirk appeared on the youkai's face, while his hand touched distractedly his fluffy tail, which moved in the air. "This night will see your death, Naraku." he said, while Inuyasha and his companions went out in the clearing, ready to the battle.  
  
Inuyasha stopped himself, dumbfounded, seeing Naraku just in front of him. Behind the hanyou, the others did the same, didn't expect that Naraku would wait them. Inuyasha closed his amber ayes, full of anger and anguish. Naraku received them with a mocking bow, while through his fingers the rose Shikon no Tama's light was gleaming, near to be full. Only the kakera guarded by Kagome was lacked. Kanna and Kagura were around him, waiting for orders. "Naraku.you bastard."growled Inuyasha, squeezing his fists, his heart in pieces at the sight of the motionless face of Kagome in Kagura's arms, deaf at the whispers of anger and surprise of his companions. "She's still alive, don't worry about it. - advised Naraku, laughing- I can't ruin so easily a so sweet reincarnation of Kikyou. Besides the jewel, I'll have also what Onigumo could not taken by himself." "Don't dare to touch her, damned jerk!" cried out Kouga, anticipating the hanyou. "Do you have any problems, wimpy wolf?" said Naraku in reply, mischievously. With a sharp deed, he ordered to his offsprings to attack. "Tetsusaiga!!" screamed Inuyasha, unsheathing the sword and aiming to the head of Naraku, completely ignoring Kanna and Kagura. While the warriors were pouring on the clash's place, the last, big battle started.  
  
Kikyou arrived at the battle's place contemporaneously to Sesshoumaru. She saw the inu-youkai in wait of the right moment to attack, on his feet on the top of a tree. She didn't want to wait. She looked under her. The battle was furious. The houshi, her memory called him Miroku, was battling against Kanna, side by side with the tajiya, still upset for her brother's death. Kagura had attacked Inuyasha, but the little Shippou and the demon Kirara had intervened, attacking her, and the hanyou was now against Naraku, like Kouga. Naraku's miasma was poisoning the air, so Kouga's actions was becoming slow. Only Inuyasha still fought with all his strength. No more puppets, this time Naraku was really fighting, holding the Shikon no Tama in his hand. Kikyou corrugated her forehead. Inuyasha didn't fight for the jewel. He fought for that Kagome girl. The truth had hit her when, after the barrier's collapse, she had seen the totally upset face of Inuyasha at the news that Kagome was kidnapped by Naraku. She was gone near him, trying to calm down him, but her words were been unheard. Kikyou had discovered that she could not claim anymore her place in Inuyasha's heart. She had followed them more for habit that real intention. She didn't know what to do. Kill Naraku? Die carrying Inuyasha with her? Kill that Kagome? She looked down another time, her eyes over the boy who she had want to live her mortal life with, if only the things didn't gone in that tragic way. Then, she looked at the still face of Kagome, near Kagura, in that moment far from the battle. They were really similar. Killing Kagome or Inuyasha, she'd ha to suffer herself. If Kagome was really her reincarnation, she had to die, so that reincarnation could happen. It was the only way to live with Inuyasha. Losing herself, the happiness might been at her reach. She nodded and smiled lightly. "It's right.see you soon, Inuyasha." she murmured, closing her eyes. From her body came out a light. In one moment, Kikyou's youkai supported only a dead body of earth and bones.  
  
At the sight of that light, the battle stopped for one moment. Naraku cursed, while Kagura jumped away from Kagome with a small cry of surprise. The girl was overflow of light. "Kikyou." whispered Inuyasha, understanding what was happening. The miko had sacrifice herself to give her complete soul to Kagome. He bowed his head. "Thank you, Kikyou." The only reaction of Sesshoumaru was an eyebrow raised. Inuyasha was a stupid. Instead of take advantage of that chaos, he was worried about what was happening to his woman. It was evident that the weakness of Naraku was Kagura. The female youkai was looked with hartred Naraku's back all the time. "It's time to do something." whispered, jumping away from his emplacement. He landed through Naraku and his brother, who was watching his apparition with surprising eyes. "Do you want to enjoy with us, Sesshoumaru-sama?" asked Naraku. "Se.Sesshoumaru!" said Inuyasha, dumbfounded. The battle was stopped, everybody looked the enter on stage of Sesshoumaru. Miroku turned to Sango. "Why is his half-brother here?" he asked, incredulous. The tajiya could only shake his head in surprise. Kouga, sniffing that that youkai's smell was similar to Inuyasha's growled slowly. Shippou ran to Kagome, while she was awakening. "Kagome, daijobu?" the little kitsune asked, near to cry. Kagome nodded, sitting slowly and making a fake smile. She was confused. She knew that Kikyou's soul was returned inside her body, now she had her memories. She couldn't deny anymore that she's her reincarnation.but she is still the same Kagome as always. "Kagome!" She looked up at the cry of Inuyasha. Her friends were in the middle of a battle. Inuyasha's eyes were focused on her with so much worry and tenderness that her heart fluttered in answer. "I'm fine, Inuyasha!" she said in reply, standing up. "Kagura!" called out Naraku. He turned, very annoyed, when she didn't answer at his call. Sesshoumaru smiled coldly. "Your servants don't answer at your calls and orders. -he provoked him- I feel sorry for you, Naraku." Naraku also smiled, not very frightened. "They'll die soon. It's not a problem, they're of no use from now on." he said, jumping away from an attack of Sesshoumaru's poisoned claws. "You're not involved, Sesshoumaru! Go away! - growled Inuyasha, running against Naraku- This battle is mine!" "You are as slow as ever." was the only reply of Sesshoumaru, who jumped with his brother crackling his long fingers. Naraku opened his arms, spreading miasma over Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru just jumped away landed in front of Kagura. "If you want to be free, slave, this is the moment." he said. The female youkai took a step back, with a wry face. "My life is in his hands." she whispered, turning away her eyes. "But if you'll lost it, I can give it to you another time." murmured Sesshoumaru, touching his sword Tenseiga. Then, he jumped away another time, throwing himself against Naraku. Kagura stood still, dumbfounded. Kagome looked all around her, searching a weapon. Without her bow, she couldn't fight. She couldn't use Kikyou's power properly.Kouga ran near her. "Let's go, Kagome! - he said, taking her hand- Just run away together, while there is time!" "NO! - she cried, leaving the hand of the wolf youkai with an energetic pull- I have to help Inuyasha!" Kouga stood, surprised. Kagura was confused, seeing the hard battle. What had she to do? "If Naraku will win, he'll kill me- she thought- But if I'll attack him, I'll be dead as soon as possible. What can I do?" Kagura smirked, bowing her head. Her only hope was the inu-youkai. She put a wind spell over Naraku. "Kagura!" hissed Naraku. That moron.Naraku evoked a beating heart. With a squeeze, he reduced it to pulp and Kagura fell without a cry, dead. During this time, Miroku and Sesshoumaru hit him from two different directions. Naraku cursed, trying to jump away, but Inuyasha throwing himself against him, missing the mark for one breath. Inuyasha cursed angrily. He couldn't use the Cutting Wing whit all those peoples around Naraku. "Hiraikotsu!" Sango's scream was previous of Kanna's only for a second. The big boomerang hit the youkai's mirror, breaking it. Kanna fell with it, dead. "This is for my brother's death, you bastard!" cried Sango. Naraku cursed again. His only chance was to eat the complete Shikon no Tama, so his power could increase. Whit a deed, he pulled away Kouga and threw himself to Kagome, who was still in search of a weapon. "KAGOME!!!!!!" cried Inuyasha, running. She extended a hand to Naraku, without fear in her eyes. A powerful energy hit Naraku, who was thrown against a tree with violence. All stood, dumbfounded. Kagome shone of light, her sweet face full of anger, "Girl.how you dare." said Naraku, with broken voice. His body fumed very hard. "Your evil is too much, Naraku! - she said, pointing a finger to him- I can't live in peace with you in this world. You must die for your terrible actions, Naraku!" She raised the right hand, showing the complete Shikon no Tama. "NOOOOO!!!!- cried Naraku, shivering in anger- The jewel is mine!" "Cut off your mouth, bastard! -growled Inuyasha- Now you'll die! CUTTING WIND!" The shining sword Tetsusaiga cut the air with enormous strength. Sesshoumaru jumped a little bit far, remembering his last meeting with the Cutting Wind. Inuyasha's friends protected theirself from the stroke, while Naraku's cry echoed in the clearing. When all finished, Inuyasha's figure stood out from the dust, with Kagome at his side. Only a smirking head remained from Naraku. "You cant'.destroy me." he said, before Miroku's foot crushed it. In a moment, only dust and silence remained. "It's." whispered Sango. "It's the end. The real end." said Inuyasha, putting Tetsusaiga in the scabbard with resolute face. Miroku pulled away the rosary on his right hand. He fell on his knees, bowing his head. "Miroku!" called Shippou, in worry, "Miroku, what." started Sango, going near the monk. The houshi turned his hand to his friends. They took a step back, afraid, but nothing happened. The palm was smooth and complete. "Really.really the end." whispered Miroku, while a tear ran on his face. Sango and Shippou hugged him, happy for their friend, all the others around him. Kouga snorted. Sesshoumaru gave a look at the place were Kagura laid till one moment before. She became dust with Naraku, and so Kanna. Without a body, he couldn't resurrect the female youkai. He turned away from the group and started to leave, when he heard a thing that stopped him. "Here's, Inuyasha. The Shikon no Tama. Now you can become a true youkai." Sesshoumaru turned. The girl, Kagome, was giving the jewel to his half- brother, who looked at her in surprise. All the present held their breath. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. So, that was his brother's desire. He could understand. "No, Kagome." answered Inuyasha, surprising everybody. Inuyasha took softly the jewel and raised it to the moonlight. "This jewel have done only evil things, and I don't want to increment this never-ending carousel. My only desire, now, is to stay with you forever, if you want me as I am. Aishiteru, Kagome." Kagome throw herself in Inuyasha's arms, crying and laughing, while all their friend smiled. Sesshoumaru shook his head, snorted and giving them his back. "I love you too, Inuyasha. - was Kagome's answer- Your desire is mine." "What a couple of idiots." he thought, ready to leave that group of jerks, while Kouga cried at the hanyou that he'd kill him for this. In that moment, the jewel shone with incredible light. That light overflown Kagome and Inuyasha, while the others stood in surprise. When the light was faded away, the Shikon no Tama was vanished. Kagome was still the same, but Inuyasha...he had an aura more powerful. "But.what." said the hanyou, looking his empty palm. "It seems that that jewel works good." said Sesshoumaru, attracting all the eyes on him. "What do you mean?" asked Inuyasha, suspiciously. Sesshoumaru smirked. "If you haven't notice it yet, you are as moron as I've ever thought. - he said- Your blood is pure, now. A youkai blood and power are in your body. And your woman has no more a mortal smell. " Inuyasha, in one moment, understood his brother's words. He was now a real youkai. And Kagome.his Kagome was not a mortal anymore. The jewel was disappeared after realize their desire. Inuyasha hugged Kagome, his face covered in her hair. "Inuyasha? What is happened?" she asked, puzzled. "Now.now I'll explain it to you all." he whispered, whit a broken but really happy voice. Sesshoumaru finally jumped away, leaving that foolish and sickening show, running in the night. He had to take Rin and that toad of Jaken. He didn't give another look at the battle's place. His brother's feelings had made him sick, but killing something could be a good medicine. "There's no one so important to feel something like this." he said another time. 


	2. Heart of Youkai 2

CHAPTER 2: THE CHILD WHO CRY  
  
ONE WEEK BEFORE Kaede sighed with low voice, coming down from the saddle with rigid movements because the long ride but also because her old age. "Are you ok, Kaede-sama?" asked one of the escort. "Yes, yes." she answered, churlish. She looked around her. They were arrived in a small village, built between the forest and a not very large lake. Kaede corrugated is wrinkled forehead. Time was passed from her departure. She had wanted to attend Inuyasha and the others at the village, but a recurrent nightmare had put her to depart in their pursuit, following their faint tracks. Kaede sighed. According to her nightmares, her sister Kikyou had to die soon, and the jewel was going to be completed, but the miko was scared because how that all would been happened. If Inuyasha'd wished to become a full youkai.or her sister'd remained in life.all that would been finished by blood. Her nightmares had shown to her a mountain with a sacred barrier. Known that mountain, Kaede had departed for help her friends and to dispel her fears. "Well, let's go. We have to take information." she said at her escort. They came in the village, carrying their horses by the halter. Kaede seen in a minute that something was wrong in that village. Everybody looked at them with suspicious eyes, without an evident justification. An old man came to her. "Good morning, miko-sama. - he said, respectful- I'm the head of this village. Can we do anything for you?" "I hope that." Kaede answered. The head took her to his home, where the miko asked for information about Inuyasha's group. "An hanyou with three humans, a kitsune and a cat demon? - the man asked, puzzled- No, they were not been here." "Thank you anyhow.- said Kaede- Can you tell me how far is Mount Hakurei from here?" "Four days, more or less, to north-west, miko-sama.- answered the head of the village- But, be careful! It seems that it's not a secure place, now." "I know.- Kaede sighed, standing up- I know it very well." In that moment, a woman head overcame from the door. The head stood up. "What do you want, Haneko?" the old man asked. "Can I speak with you, miko-sama?" she asked, talking to Kaede. The old miko nodded, following the woman. She bowed her head, nervous, torturing her kimono. "Are you interested on strange facts, miko-sama?" the woman asked. "Just a bit." Kaede said, puzzled. She was probably the only miko on Earth so involved with mysteries and demons.apart from her sister and the young Kagome. "Then, can I introduce to you a person?" the woman asked. Kaede nodded. At that point, she was a little curios. To left some minutes there were not a tragedy. The woman, named Haneko, took her on the fields near the village. There, she pointed with her index just in front of her. "She was there.- the woman whispered- Can you see her?" Kaede, on a first look, didn't see anything strange. Some women worked in the fields, one was taking water from a well, one was.Her only eye returned on the girl at the well. "A stranger?" she murmured. The girl, twenty years old, more or less, wasn't similar at the others around her. Her skin was very pale, near to the color of Kikyou's and Kagome's. Her body was thin but feminine, under her simply kimono. Her golden brown hairs were very long and came down till her knees wavy. A simply white ribbon held them. Kaede turned to the woman. "Do you have a stranger in your village? Is this the strange fact?" she asked, losing interest. "That strange girl.we don't know how she came here.- hissed the woman, glaring at the girl- We found her in the forest. She was confused and wore very strange clothes. She speaks Japanese with a strange accent, and she isn't respectful at all! And her eyes.she has something very strange in her eyes. She seems a youkai!" "I'll talk with her." said Kaede. At that point, her curiosity was very high! Some minute later, Kaede was attending the girl in the house of the head of village. In that moment, she came in from the door. "Good morning, miko-sama." she said, with low and musical voice. Kaede nodded, and she sat in front of her. Looking at her from a short distance, Kaede admitted to herself that that girl had something wild, but she seemed sweeter than Haneko's description. Her eyes, gray-blue, affected her. The girl attracted all her spiritual energy. She had some powers, but she was not a demon for sure. "What's your name, girl?" Kaede asked. "Anna, miko-sama." she answered. Kaede nodded. A foreign name. "Someone has tell to me that you came in this village in a strange way, girl." said Kaede. Anna nodded without a word. That girl has guts, she looked in her eyes without fear. "Can't you return at your home, little girl?" she asked. Anna smiled mischievously to herself. "I can't, miko-sama. This is what I think. My trip was not through space but through time." she said. Kaede stood, astonished. "I know.- she said- I know a girl that comes from a time far from this. She can return to her home by a well. If you come from the same era." "What girl?" Anna asked, focused her inquiring eyes on the miko. If there was a way to return to home. "Her name is Kagome.- Kaede answered- She comes from." "One moment, please.- Anna stopped the miko, turning pale- Your name.is Kaede?" "Yes, I'm Kaede." the miko said, after a moment of silence. "And the girl.she's Kagome Higurashi, isn't she?" Kaede nodded, dumbfounded. The girl lost heart. She sighed, with a hand over her face. "Better and better!" she growled, than exclaimed something in a foreign language. "What's the problem? How do you know Kagome?" Kaede asked. The girl looks at her with dark eyes. "Well, Kaede-sama.I come from the same time of Kagome." she started. "Well, there's no problem then, my girl!" Kaede exclaimed, but the young girl raised a hand to shut up miko's words. "I come from the same time, but not from the same world, it seems." Anna said. She smiled at the confuse look of the miko. "In my world, your story is.well, just a story. Kagome, Inuyasha, you and the others are only characters of a Japanese woman's fantastic mind. I've read your adventures till my trip here." Kaede made a little cry of surprise. "I'd understood that I was catapulted in the Sengoku Jidai, and this was incredible for itself, but to be in the same Sengoku Jidai of Inuyasha and Kagome.well, it's out of the reality I've ever know.- she murmured angrily, corrugating her eyebrows- I can't return at home." Her eyes darkened. Kaede felt pain for that unlucky girl, that, like Kagome, was in a world that is not hers. Kagome had found a way to return at home, friends and a mission in this era, but Anna seemed hated in the village and she couldn't return at home.for the rest of her life, probably.  
  
"A parallel world.- Kaede whispered, thinking- Tell me how are you arrived here." "I was coming in Japan by fly, for studying.- Anna said, with a very low voice- Then, near the airport.do you know what is an airport?" Kaede nodded. Kagome had explained it to her. "Near the airport, I had a strange but clear vision and I felt a strange energy run through my body. I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was here, near the village." "What have you seen?" Kaede asked. "A building. An enormous and beautiful palace.- Anna whispered, thinking- There was someone standing in front of the palace, near the door, but I couldn't see him very well. I felt.his sadness and his loneliness." "And then you were arrived here." Kaede said, and Anna nodded. "It seems that someone has attracted you here through time and space, knowing that you come from a parallel world. It can be interesting to find who is this someone." "Yeah, so, maybe, I'll leave this awful village and that superstitious people." was the acid comment of Anna. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Kaede-sama, I'm very irritable. Changing subject, how is the Shikon search finished?" "It's still in progress. I'm on the road because of it." answered Kaede. "I see, and I hope that all can finish alright, Kaede-sama." Anna said. The miko looked at her for one moment, while she bowed respectfully. "Don't think about me anymore, Kaede-sama, you have other fish to fry. I'll try to hang on. You could not do anything, anyway." With those last words, Anna exited. Kaede left after a few time, leaving the village at her back. For all the day, she thought about the sad and cold eyes of that girl. "I must do something for her.- she decided, in the end- When I'll return, I'll introduce her to Kagome and the others. We'll carry her with us. If she could not return at home, we'll make her life here less hard." With this decision in her mind, the miko went without other distractions at Mount Hakurei.  
  
EIGHT DAYS LATER "Anna! Anna, lazybones! Where are you?" "Shut up, rook!" hissed Anna, made herself more little behind the water's barrel near the house. Haneko was in pursuit of her, to force her to work hard in some of those damned fields, surely. "That gaijin!- cried Haneko- I give her hospitality, I feed her and she doesn't raise a single finger!" "If you call trash ten hours a day under your whip." Anna murmured with hate, sliding silently behind the house and then in the forest. She ran, than her walk became slow. For that day she was full of that slaver and of the allusive chitchats of the village's women. She needed to stay alone. She sighed, touching tenderly the bushes and raising her eyes at the sky. The nightfall was near. Anna stumbled, cursed through teeth in a language that no one might understand. That cursed kimono.it was not already a habit. She known that to walk in the forest was dangerous, more and more at that time of the day, but the nature returned to her mind a shadow of mental sanity. She had heard with an only ear the voices of youkais in the forest but now on, she could not ignore them anymore. What a crazy story, she was now in Inuyasha's world! She might to write a fantastic fanfiction.if only she was at home. At home. She dried her teary eyes with anger. If only she fell in cry, she could not hang on anymore. A tiny sound stopped her thoughts and her walk. Anna heard, ready to run for her safety to the village at the first danger signal. But that sound wasn't very fearful. It seemed.seemed. "A cry?" she asked, talking to herself. Yes, it was just a child cry. Anna thought that a village's baby was lost in the forest. She went to the sound, very heartbreaking, now. She came out in a clearing. In the middle, there was a child that cried in desperation. "Child." Anna murmured. The little child raised her head with a sigh of fright. She was six, eight years old. She had brown eyes and hair, not very short. She had a little ponytail on a side of her head. Her face was wet of tears, her eyes was red because the cry. Anna smiled sweetly. "Child, why are you crying?" she asked, with reassuring voice. The little child tried to recompose herself drying her eyes with her hands. "Who are you?" she asked with a break voice. "I'm Anna." the girl answered sitting near her. That child had very pure eyes."Do you want to tell me why are you crying?" she asked another time. The child sighed. "Rin is lost." she said. "Rin."- repeated Anna, puzzled- Is Rin your name?" The child nodded and Anna smiled. That little girl talked funny. She seems very likeable. "Are you here from a long time, Rin?" she asked to her. "The sun was high. I was in search of flowers." the child answered. She looked at the girl. That Anna seemed kind, she was better in her presence. "Some hours, I see.- Anna whispered- Were you with your parents?" "No.- Rin said, looking at the sky- Rin's parents are dead." "Oh, I'm sorry, Rin." Anna said. The child smiled brightly. "But Rin isn't alone!- she stopped her mouth, returning serious- Well, she wasn't alone." "Do you want my help in your search, Rin?" asked Anna. "Really? Do you help Rin to find her way, nee-chan?" Rin exclaimed, jumping on her feet for joy. Anna laughed. Nee-chan? "Sure, Rin!" she said. That child was really adorable. "And.if we don't find them?" asked Rin. Her eyes were full of tears again. Anna hugged her tenderly. "Don't cry, Rin-chan.- she said, stroking gently her bang and kissed her on the forehead- I'm sure that we'll find them, if not this evening, tomorrow. You could sleep with me at the village and tomorrow morning." "Rin will be not a trouble?" the child asked. Anna smiled and shook her head. "If I'll work for you too, no one had to talk." she said, with battling voice. Rin looked at her. "You are very nice with Rin, nee-chan." she said. Anna looked at her in surprise, than smiled again. "Well, courage! On the road!- she said, with a false enthusiasm- Who are the peoples we had to search?" "Oh, their names are." started Rin. "Rin. I've search you everywhere." A very cold voice at her back, freezing Anna on her feet, whiles Rin jumped behind her with a cry of joy. Anna turned slowly, felling a great danger. At her back, with the little Rin took root over his leg, there was a tall man, well dressed. His glacial amber eyes were focused on her, his silver white hair flying in the evening wind. A fluffy tail stood over a shoulder and a sword was on his side. "I'd have to know it." Anna thought, before Rin's words erased every doubt.  
  
"Look, nee-chan! Sesshoumaru-sama has find Rin!" 


	3. Heart of Youkai 3

Author's note: Here we are, the third chapter! How is it? HOW IS IT? Tell me something!! ^_^ I understand that no-one could understand how will grow this story from the previous two chapter, but I have the habit to write long stories..^^;;; Have faith, it will be a nice story and I promise many Inu/Kagome and Miroku/Sango paragraphs.but Sesshoumaru is always the first character!!!! CHAPTER 3: CURIOSITY UNDER THE MOONLIGHT "Rin, I've search you everywhere." Sesshoumaru said, cutting away every trace of worry from his voice. When he was returned to take Jaken and Rin, after the battle against Naraku, he had found that cursed little toad, but not the child. Sesshoumaru didn't waist time punishing Jaken, for that there would be time; he had to follow Rin while her scent was still in the air. A low-power inu-youkai obstructed him with a battle, making him wasting time, but finally he had found the child. But Rin wasn't alone. A human female was with her. The nice face of Sesshoumaru was upset, while Rin run to hug him with a little cry of joy. That woman.she emanated a surprising energy. It wasn't the miko's spiritual power, but something that approached her to the source of youkai's powers. Could she be an hanyou? "Look, nee-chan! Sesshoumaru-sama has found Rin!" As always, the acute accent of Rin's voice hurt his sensitive ears, but Sesshoumaru didn't remove his eyes from the woman, that was turning. She wasn't similar to the other human woman he had ever seen. Her skin was of alabaster, her body frail as every human body. Her long heir, holding by a white ribbon, was more light than other human's in that land and shone of gold. Her eyes was grey -blue. In those eyes, for one moment, he could see a wild soul full of primordial power and a flash of knowing at his sight that full him with curiosity. "I see, Rin." the woman said, with delicate voice and a cold smile. She bowed her head to the inexpressive face of Sesshoumaru. "I'm happy that you have found Rin." Sesshoumaru didn't reply. The woman's smell was human for sure. It was strange that she held that great latent power, and much more strange the absence of the strong smell of fear. That woman could restrain very well her feelings, for being a mere human. "Who are you, wench?" he asked, with cold voice. "I'm." started Anna, but Rin said: "Oh, she's Anna-nee-chan! She was helping Rin to find her way!" She smiled brightly. Sesshoumaru looked at the child, then moved his eyes over the woman. "It's true, wench?" asked. Anna nodded. "Next time, don't leave her with your subordinate. - she said, coldly- As facts show, he's not a qualified baby-sitter." Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead, annoyed. That woman was too much cheeky. How did she know Jaken? Without look at Rin, he understood that also the child was very surprising by the girl's phrase. "Who are you really?" he asked, more and more coldly. "Anna, Sesshoumaru-sama, like Rin has already tell.- she answered, showing a little nervousness- Now, if there's no more, I take leave. The night fall down quickly." "Farewell, nee-chan." Rin murmured, running to hug her. Anna caressed her head, trying to forgive the glacial amber eyes of the inu-youkai, focused on her. "Farewell, nee-chan. Stay near Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken, and don't lost your way anymore." Rin nodded, restraining her tears. Anna kissed her lightly, then bowed to Sesshoumaru and turned to go away. Sesshoumaru was upset: that woman was going away without give him any satisfaction about his curiosity. "You have guts, wench, to turn your back to the great Sesshoumaru-sama. I can kill you, you know." he said, sarcastic. He saw her stop and then half turn to him. "If you want to kill me, you can do it with me in front of you or giving you my back.- she said, rivaling with his coldness- I know that I'm only a weakly human. I prefer to die in dignity instead to die shivering, full of terror." There was silence after this phrase, while the two challenge theirself with the eyes. Then, Anna decided to no more provoke the youkai, she knew very well his capacity of kill people like her. She turned again, walking to the village. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" The croaky voice of Jaken arrived just a second before the owner, that crush against Anna with violence. The two fell on the ground, while Rin made a small cry. "But.what." said Anna, puzzled, trying to sit up. "Oh, I've find you, Sesshoumaru-sama!- Jaken exclaimed, raising on his feet and glaring to the human near him- How do you dare obstruct me, girl?" He raised Ninto's staff, ready to hit that fool mortal, but a hand stopped the staff. "Are you trying to hit me, toad?" growled Anna, wringing the staff from Jaken's hands. Whit it, she let fly a violent heavy blow to the toad, that flight away through the clearing. Anna, annoyed, run away, before Sesshoumaru could think to make her pay for that. The youkai, in reality, had watch with lightly surprising face the fly of his subordinate for no more of a second. He couldn't stop to look at the strange girl, who run away fast to the village. Few hours later, the strange trio laid over a grassy hill, under the moonlight, a bright crescent. Sesshoumaru looked the sky, caught by thoughts that involved without fault the woman who was with Rin, that evening. Much of her aroused his curiosity, and there weren't very much things that could boast about it. She had a very strong personality, but more of all an energy that Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain himself to desire for him. More power.He moved his eyes over Rin, that slept near him. While they were going away from the clearing, Rind had said with a strange, serious voice, that she was in pain for the girl. She was thinking that village's inhabitants hated Anna, as Rin was hated herself in her village. She seems so sad, like her before the inu-youkai carried her away. Sesshoumaru hadn't spoke, but Jaken had talked badly about that human wench, so Sesshoumaru had had to remember to the toad that his punition by the girl was been pitiful compared by an eventual punition by the great Sesshoumaru. Jaken shut up immediately. Now, he had an idea. He raised on his feet with a fast and graceful movement. "Where do you go, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, nervous at the thought of baby-sit another time the child. "I've something to do.- he answered, without a single look- If Rin will be not here when I'll return, you'll die." Shivering with fear, Jaken nodded, while the youkai flight away, going along again by the street of that evening. The toad gave a disgusted look to the sleeping child. "What a life." Sesshoumaru came in the village, hiding himself in the shadows. He didn't want to waste time meeting terrified humans. He sniffed the air, catching that woman's smell. It brought to a house with a candle still light. In one moment, he was under the window. Inside, someone talked. "That cursed girl is in the forest, another time!- he heard- I'm sure, she works hand in glove with some youkai!" "Don't be fool." one man told. "Oh, I'm fool? And how can you explain to me why that crazy gaijin goes to look at the moon every night, near the lake? She's not normal, I tell you so and I'll always do!" "Don't worry, Haneko, she'll not carry youkais in our home." snorted the man. "I only hope that one night they'll carry her away." murmured with hartred the woman, turning out the light. Sesshoumaru left the village, running fast to the lake. The woman's smell grew strong. Rin was right, that woman was no loved by those humans, maybe because she was a gaijin, but with more probability because her strange life power. The weakly humans could not understand the power, but they were surely disturbed by it. He made an ironic smile. To carry out his idea seemed more easy than he had thought. He spent some instants to realize that his sensible ears were full of a song, tiny and melodious. He slackened his run, puzzled. The song came from the lake. The woman might be the singer. "I don't understand if this is courage or madness.- he thought, shaking his head in disbelief- All youkais in miles could hear her." He came near the clearing around the lake, while the music caught him slightly, and all his rational thoughts (NoA Do you know Aika theme? ^_^). And then he saw her. The girl was sit on the lake's shore, giving her back to him. Her untied hair fluttered in the wind, while she sang, looking at the moon. Her face was partially visible, showing a deep sadness. Sesshoumaru, for the first time in his entire life, stood without knowing what to do or say. That song without words, that sadness, had melt his typical cold certainty. He tried to walk to her and stop her quickly, he didn't have time to waste with that stuff, but he couldn't. He stood there, half hide by the trees, looking at the girl and listening her voice. Anna song to the moon, crying out her sadness and her pain, things that she hid in her soul every day. She knew very well how dangerous was to stay in the forest by night, ma she didn't care either of the death. She had lost everything, her life was already finished. Besides these thoughts, she couldn't restrain herself by starting when she felt that someone was hide in the shadow, behind her. She had gooseflesh. He's not human- he was a youkai for sure. She stopped her sing, smiling mischievously for her fate, then raised on her feet. She turned. Fear flowed away like fresh water, replaced by surprise and a grip to the stomach. In front of her there were Sesshoumaru, his white hear glowing at the moonlight. The youkai fixed her with the same freezing eyes, silently. "Sesshoumaru-sama.- she greeted, with uncertain voice- I'm surprising to see you again." Sesshoumaru didn't answer, registering with satisfaction the woman's nervousness at his sight. He smirked. He made some step on but she didn't step back. "You show few prudence, wench, challenging with your presence and your sing all youkais in this forest." he said, stopped his steps near her. "I know it." she answered, corrugating her forehead. They stood in silence. "Are you here to tell me this, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Anna asked, finally, angry. The amber eyes of the inu-youkai made her feeling uneasy. Thinking that he was one of her favorite characters.only a character.Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "I don't care for your life, wench, but you have reach the point: I'm here because you." The inu-youkai was satisfied. Finally he had cause a shiver of fear in that cheeky girl. Anna's face darkened, realizing her weakly appearance. She looked at him right in the eyes. "Do you want to kill me?" she asked, point-blank. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. Was it challenge what shone in that weakly woman's eyes? Impossible, but he could feel her latent power growing, hugging him, trying to borrow his power for being able to fight him. "If she'd been a youkai, surely she'd been able to absorb everybody's life and spiritual energies, either humans or youkais." he told to himself, almost admiring. He chose to stop all jokes with the woman. "I'm here to carry you away." he said. Anna's anger left place to surprise. "Wh.what?" she asked. "You have understand very well. Don't waste my precious time." Sesshoumaru said, caressing his fluffy tail with his long claws. "And why do you want to do such a thing?" Anna asked, annoyed. "I have two reasons.- Sesshoumaru answered in an irritant cold tone- First, I understand that Rin need a mother figure. She's only a human child and entrust her to you besides Jaken will be a good thing." "To look after Rin?" Anna asked. Thinking about the child, she smiled, then returned serious. Sesshoumaru didn't care so much about humans. There was something other. "And the second reason?" she asked. "Nothing of your business, wench." was the youkai's cold answer. Anna held back an anger deed. She stepped back when she saw him came to her. "What.what are you doing?" she asked, really afraid now. Those icy eyes. "Carry you away." Sesshoumaru told, raising an hand over her. With his enormous surprise, the woman slapped it hard. "I've not answer, yet!" Anna exclaimed, making other steps back. Sesshoumaru darkened. "You'll learn, wench, that Great Sesshoumaru hasn't need to ask." he said, icy. In that moment, something fell through them. Sesshoumaru jumped away, far from the girl. From the grass raised a smoke cloud, and with it a cry. When the smoke disappeared, Anna was vanished. Sesshoumaru sniffed the girl's smell. It run fast to east. With it, there was another smell, one smell that could ruin his plans. "How haven't I notice it?" he asked to himself, murmuring annoyed, while he put himself in pursuit of the girl. It's not his habit being distract in this way. It was the smell of the inu-youkai that he had defeated that afternoon. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. That inu-youkai was near to death, his blood was flowed away almost all and only his stubbornness took him still in life. What could he want to do with that wench, why waste so his last energies? Then, he understood. The inu-youkai had feel the woman's latent power, like him. He had intention to make a fusion's spell. Devouring the girl's body and soul, he'd had her power and a new life, a heal body. "That power is mine. The woman must to live." he said, running in the night. When Anna woke up, she couldn't restrain a scream. The first thing she saw was a monstrous face. The creature made a ugly smile. "What." Anna said, with broken voice. Her heart beat madly while the youkai carried her inside a cavern. The youkai laughed mischievously. "It's not important.- he said- We'll be better soon, my dear." He deposited her on the ground without grace. Anna hit hard against the floor of the cavern. Her body didn't answer at her commands, maybe because the smoke cloud. She raised her horrified eyes over the creature. Whit surprise, she understood why he appeared so ugly. That was an inu-youkai like Sesshoumaru, but someone or something had hit him so hard to provoke a slow and painful agony in the youkai. His body was covered with blood and the near death had made his power weak, so his human form was mixed with his dog form. He sniffed the air. "That jerk is near.- growled- But he'll pay for this." He turned to the girl with a killer light in the eyes. "And you'll help me." "What do you want from me?" Anna asked. She was VERY afraid. "That bastard Sesshoumaru reduced me so, but thanks to your power I'll be able to survive. And kill him, finally." the youkai said with a vulgar laugh. Anna made a wry face. "I'm only a human.- she cried, angry- Don't be ridiculous!" "Really? We'll see." laughed the youkai, before throwing himself against Anna and biting with violence a shoulder, making her bleed. Anna screamed, arching her neck in pain. That demon.that demon wanted to devour her! He was drinking her blood! Anna's sight darkened, sinking her into oblivion. "No!- she said in her mind- I can't.I don't want to die! Not in this way.NOT HERE!" "Good, we are melting together." murmured the youkai, seeing the power aura coming to him from the girl's body. She was pale and still, but he was rebirth, his power increased.Anna opened wide her eyes, surprising the youkai. "You'd been already died." growled, looking at the lost blood on the ground. Anna raised her still utilizable arm, clutching the youkai's face. "I.- she said, with broken and low voice- I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'LL DIE HERE!!" Whit all her remained strength, she threw herself against the youkai, biting hard his neck. The inu-youkai cried. An enormous power exploded, making many rock crash over them. Anna fainted with taste of blood in her mouth. All became dark. 


	4. Heart of Youkai 4

CHAPTER 4: AN OBLIGED CHOICE  
  
The first thing that Sesshoumaru heard was a woman's scream. This brought him at the entrance of a cavern. "Hell, I'm late." he thought, upset. With the woman's smell was tied the death's smell. Then, a cry: "I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'LL DIE HERE!!" and the youkai's scream of pain. "What." he murmured, before he was hit by a violent energy, that made him fly away from the cavern. Sesshoumaru made an elegant movement, using the shove for land with grace over a tree branch. The cavern partially collapsed, in a landslide of rocks and earth. Sesshoumaru waited, annoyed, that every movement stopped, than he returned on the ground and walked to the landslide. The first thing he met was the inu-youkai's body, or, better, what remained. Just a mummy, dark and dry, the skin spread over half human bones. Empty orbit looked at him. Sesshoumaru made a wry face. That jerk had mistaken even the fusion's spell. Treading without care the awful remains, Sesshoumaru went on, searching the woman's body without enthusiasm. He found her first with his eyes than with his nose. Few steps behind, among the rocks, a piece of her kimono was visible. Sesshoumaru approached with the same wry face. The smell of woman's blood was strong in the air around that point. He couldn't see her soul raising to Nirvana.it was surely absorbed by the spell. "How could he mistake that spell? What an idiot." he whispered, bored, clutching the kimono to take out the dead body from the landslide. He didn't approve that kind of spell. The only thought of melt with a weakly human.bah, this make him shivering in disgust. Whit a deed, he took out the body, raising it from the ground. He was near to make it fall another time. "But.what." he said, in surprise. "I've mistake, who hell is this woman?" he asked to himself, dumbfounded. But the smell was hers. Just a little bit different, but hers! The inert body in his irony clutch, dressed in that kimono, was a woman's body for sure, a fragile woman with an alabaster skin. The resemblance ended there. This woman had golden hair, hands with long fingers and dangerous nails. The figure of a blue-golden flame was in the middle of her forehead. Her kimono was covered with blood but she didn't seem hurt. Sesshoumaru left the clutch, making the body fall without grace. The woman didn't give life signals, but her chest raised with the breathing and he could hear her heartbeat. He opened her lips, showing fangs. He looked at the ears. They were pointed. He sniffed her scent another time. She was Anna. An inu-youkai. "His power was sucked by her.- Sesshoumaru whispered, incredulous- An inu- youkai is dead.and another is born." He stood in silence for one moment, than smiled. His smile changed in a terrible laugh, which made run away every creature in a big area. Sesshoumaru was satisfied. All that gave him an advantage, if only the woman's soul didn't fall under the power of the dead inu-youkai. "In that case, I'll kill her." he said, stopping his laugh. He sat near the girl, waiting that new body, a fusion of Anna's and inu-youkai's parts, awakened. Anna woke up slowly from what seemed the longer and deepest sleep of her entire life. She had the feeling of leave the dream of the big castle and the same person behind the door, waiting her, but she wasn't sure. She made a wry face. She had a strong headache and her mouth was full of a metallic taste. She opened her eyes and saw many stars shine. She remembered with a shiver the youkai's attack. "How can I be alive?" she asked to herself, confused. She stood motionless for one moment, breathing. The air of the night was full of scents. She had never sniffed so many scents before.too many scents! What a confusion! Puffing, she brought an hand over her nose, trying to contain that intoxicating tide. She stopped the movement at half. Something was wrong. Her hand's fingernails had a length out of normal. "Hell, what." she said, sitting up. There weren't mistakes. Her fingers ended whit long nails. She raised her eyes, feeling the presence of someone.not very distant from her, sit on the rocks of the landscaped cavern, there was Sesshoumaru. He looked at her without speak. "Sesshoumaru-sama." she whispered. The youkai raised on his feet to approach her. Anna made the same, ready for the battle. When she understood how fast her movements were, she stopped another time, uncertain. She felt so strange. "Where is." she started to ask. "Dead." Sesshoumaru said, preceding her and stopping his steps near her. Anna corrugated her forehead. "Dead?" she asked, dumbfounded. "You have absorbed him. Do you remember?" Sesshoumaru asked, with folded arms. "But.what do you say, Sesshoumaru-sama?!- Anna said- I'm not able to do anything similar! I'm pretty tired of these allusions that I don't understand!" She remembered herself biting his neck, surely, and then an explosion. She was sure of being dead. "Look at yourself, wench." Sesshoumaru ordered. He saw her bowed her eyes over herself with hesitancy, sure that the youkai had some trick in his mind, then she paled, seeing her golden hair. "What."Anna murmured, touching with tremble hand her ears and felling them pointed. Her tongue touched fangs. She looked at Sesshoumaru, frightened. "What is happened to me?- she asked, with a low voice- What means all this?" She raised her nailed hands to Sesshoumaru. He saw that they trembled. In the darkness, a golden light framed her pupils. Her eyes was very frightened. "You have absorbed his power.- Sesshoumaru explained, with an ironic smile- You have made to him what he want to do to you. You have melted your human nature with his youkai's one, but your body was too much weak and it has lost all his humanity, changing into a new youkai's body. Only your soul is the same." Anna stood in silence, trying to digest the news. Her hands bowed slowly, while her heart beat furiously in her chest. A youkai? A YOUKAI? Impossible. "It's not precise call you a youkai, but in the same way it's not exact call you an hanyou.- said Sesshoumaru, undaunted, watching the contrasting feelings that run over her face- A body totally demoniacal, a soul totally human. It's curious." "Curious?" Anna repeated, with atonic voice. She looked another time at her hands, unable to digest the thing. After some instants of silence, she raised her head. "I want to look at me.- she whispered- There's water near this place?" Sesshoumaru turned his back to her, walking to the forest. At a short distance, flowed a stream. The youkai leaned against a tree, while the girl kneeled down and watched herself in the water, silver because the moonlight. He saw her notice everything new while she run her hands over her face, with an incredulous expression: the hair with a new golden color, the yellow reflex around her new tiny youkai's pupils, the feral appearance of her small fangs and pointed ears, the nails over her fingers. From her came the scents of fear, worry and defeat, but in the same time a strong excitement and the exaltation about the new powers in her veins. Sesshoumaru smiled to himself. That was the second motivation that had push him to search that girl. He wanted to understand human's feelings, a mystery for him. That girl was an inexhaustible source of deep feelings of every kind. Anna bowed her head. The smooth wave of her hair covered her face, hiding it from Sesshoumaru's eyes. A smell of salt caught him. Was she crying? "It seems.- the girl said, lifting up her eyes without visible tears- it seems that my situation is worse and worse." She smiled mischeviously. "Don't talk nonsense, wench.- Sesshoumaru answered- This is only luck, for you. You'll not a human anymore, and you'll not live anymore with those weaklings. They hate you, in any case. You need to take habit with your new powers, and I can teach you what you need." Anna looked at him, dumbfounded, then a flash shone in her eyes. "You've told me the truth, Sesshoumaru-sama. You have what you want, ever, in one way or another." The youkai smiled slightly without an answer. Anna sighed, than raised on her feet. "And.if I tell you no?" she said. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, in a resemblance of surprise. "I'd to think that you are really a moron.- he said- And then, naturally, I'd kill you. You could not live alone in the forest, anyway." Anna smiled with cynicism. "I understand.- she murmured- I'm figuring out something similar. It's in your style, Sesshoumaru-sama." "What about my style, wench?" Sesshoumaru asked, annoyed. Anna didn't answer, sighing. "Well, it seems that I have to come with you.- she said- I'll follow you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'll take care of Rin." "Another thing." the inu-youkai said, coldly. Anna looked at him, interrogative. "If you'll learn to retrain your emotion's smell, I want that you'll not use this power in my house. You must promise." Sesshoumaru said, moving away by the tree with a fluid movement. Anna shrugged her shoulders. "You speak a stranger language, for me.- she muttered- Anyway, I promise, but still I can't see the utility of this. Are you not disturbed by human's feelings?" "They are objects of study, you can tell." Sesshoumaru said. He clutched her wrist and flight away, carrying the girl with him. Jaken sighed in relief when he saw the figure of his master approach him. "Oh, you are here, Sesshoumaru-sama!" he greeted, running awkwardly to him and covering his eyes from the new day's light. "What." he croaked. There was a female youkai behind Sesshoumaru, an inu-youkai, if he didn't mistake. "She'll stay with us." were the only words of Sesshoumaru, while he passed the toad to go to Rin. Jaken watch the woman, who was surrounded by the morning light. Her golden hair were dazzling. She gave to him a cold glance and Jaken bowed respectfully. The female youkai smiled coldly and passed him without a word. Jaken corrugated his forehead. Where did he meet that woman? Something in her caused some bad memory.like an undesired fly through the trees. "Nee-chan?- he heard the brat say- NEE-CHAN!" "Eh?" Jaken said, seeing the child throw herself in the arms of the woman, that hugged her with a laugh. "She'll look at you from now on, Rin." Sesshoumaru said, coldly. "Oh, Rin is happy! Very happy!" Rin screamed, touching without a stop the youkai's golden hair. "But that.she is." Jaken croaked. That was the damned human wench that had dared hit him with the Ninto's staff! But what was happened to her, for all the demons? Sesshoumaru walked away from the two happy girls and Jaken approached him, running. "Sesshoumaru-sama!- he exclaimed- How you can." A very freezing glance congealed his words in his mouth. "Look it from a positive point of view, Jaken.- Sesshoumaru murmured- You'll not Rin's baby-sitter anymore." "S.surely, Sesshoumaru-sama." Jaken muttered, giving another look at that damned human girl.ehm, youkai girl. A positive point of view?! What a ugly life. 


	5. Heart of Youkai 5

Author's note: Here we are! What will happen to my poor Anna and the sadic Sesshoumaru? EHEH!!^_^ Let's stop with jokes, I really adore Sesshoumaru. I must to confess that I like always more contorted characters: Raistlin in Dragonlance, Zelgadiss in Slayers, Sesshoumaru in Inuyasha.uhm, maybe I'm contorted, too.^_^;;; Stop the fiddlesticks! Chapter five!  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT  
  
"But it's against my own nature!" "Do it and stop with talks." "I must to repeat to you that I can't do it. How can I identify myself in a." "It's your actual figure that is a fiction, stupid wench!" "Don't call me stupid wench! You want too much from me!" The forest echoed of these two voices that squabbled one against the other in a very angry tone. All the animals and even youkais were running away very fast from that zone, feeling the tension preceding a fight. It was not very salutary be in the nearness when two inu-youkais take the decision to gave a lesson one to the other. These two inu-youkais, however, were too much involved in their quarrel to notice the effect done on the others. One, a man with silver hair, was half transformed and looked at the other, a girl with crossed arms and the eyes focused on the ground, with fired eyes. Sesshoumaru sat on a rock, sighing nervous while he took another time his human form. To teach to that hard head of girl to use her power was appearing too much for him. Two weeks was passed by, more or less, since Anna was became an inu-youkai, losing her human nature to survive at the attack of a youkai, attracted by her latent powers. Sesshoumaru had put the girl in his group with the intent of create a faithful weapon and give to Rin a company more indicated that a fool chit-chatting toad. So, they were going to the big castle, home of the Lord of the Western Lands, an inheritance from his dead father. During the trip, everyday, Sesshoumaru set himself apart with Anna to teach her how to use her new powers and the potentialities of her youkai's body. This seemed a not very easy venture. Anna was hardheaded and obstinate and had no problems in answer back when he criticized her, a thing that made him lost his patience and run away, or he'd surely slash her in two different pieces.and how explain it to Rin? No, he didn't want really kill her.he dispelled the thought with angry. The girl was a fool. She raised many objections, causing an headache to Sesshoumaru every time, and then, as if there were nothing to it, she did exactly what he had asked for three hours. She regretted that he wasn't enough patient.silliness. He hadn't had so many regards in all his life. Thinking to the time he had try to teach her how to run fast and how to jump high, for example.Nothing for more than an hour. Her body was ready to do efforts unthinkable for her, but she was obstinate in her human, goofy movements. In the end, Sesshoumaru was very tired of her and was run away, jumping from a tree to the other to underline his superiority. He had tell to her to hurry up because he didn't want to wait her. He was just thinking how fool was this stupid wench, when he gave a glance to his back and saw her imitating his movements, a little bit goofy. He had start to run faster to give her more troubles.and then she was just at his side. And she laughed!! She laughed at the sky, while run more faster and emanated so much joy of life that Sesshoumaru was astonished for one moment. Then, he became angry, VERY angry. But how in the Seven Hells.he had talked to the wall for an hour and now she run and laughed like nothing was happened? He had start to chase her and in this way, they arrived where Rin and Jaken attended them. When they arrived, they were distraught and Sesshoumaru's anger was -how odd!- vanished. She smiled at him.bah, strange girl. Since that moment, the thing were going better. Anna liked to fight and learned well, but Sesshoumaru'd transform himself in a human before telling this to her. Her latent power was now active. Anna could absorb the energy of everyone and now she was learning to dose this strength. After killing an oak with only one touch, she had more attention in this. Sesshoumaru known that she was afraid of her own power, but he was satisfied. She had some faith in him, an advantageous thing, Rin adored her and Jaken didn't dare to tell anything. Sesshoumaru had asked her about her past and had discovered that she was from a different space-time dimension. The thing didn't surprise him, he know very well their existence; instead, he was satisfied: no regrets about her human world, family and stuff like this. She'd not run away from him, wasting his precious time. But now.now she had made him really mad! In that two weeks, Anna didn't try to take her real form, the inu-youkai's, not a time. Sesshoumaru had noticed this and had decided to provide. He had ordered to her to transform herself and she had looked at him with her irritant, perplex blue eyes. "Do what I do. Your power must to increase into you." he had tell, transforming himself and taking his dog form. He was annoyed because the absence of fear in her eyes at his sight, but more because her confused face. He had attended for some minutes. She had closed her eyes, trying to concentrate her mind, but in the end.no results. "My true form is ever been this! How can I know what I'll be from now on?!- she regretted when he started to growl- I don't understand what I may do!" And in this way they had started a foolish and annoying discussion.Sesshoumaru had had enough. He noticed Anna's eyes on him. He was sit in silence from minutes. He ignored her, deciding he had enough of her stupidity. "Aren't you tired of argue, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked, with a more low voice. Sesshoumaru didn't look at her and Anna sighed, patient. "I need time to accept my new nature.- she said- Sooner or later I'll be able to transform myself, but I need to proceed step by step. Please, try to understand." Sesshoumaru didn't answer, neither looked at her. "Are you listening, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Anna asked, annoyed. Sesshoumaru, in reply, raised to his feet and started to walk away, giving her his back. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" screamed Anna, another time full of anger. She reached him, clutching his kimono to make him turn to her. Sesshoumaru gave her a disgusted glance and free himself from her clutch with a sharp deed. "You are a nuisance.- he said, coldly- I haven't time to waste. If you aren't able to accept your nature, you are of no utility for me." Anna stood, paling slightly and drawing back her hand. Sesshoumaru looked at her for one moment with cold eyes, then turned and walked away. Anna stood with her eyes focused on her back, biting her lips for not cry. "I'm not able to accept my nature.- she thought, bowing her eyes on her feet- I'm of no utility." She closed her eyes with violence. Sesshoumaru and Rin were the only persons with she could live. She couldn't live with humans anymore, and the youkais'd hated her for her origin. She couldn't either return at home. If only Sesshoumaru had lost his interest in her, she was been lost. She gave her best, but she could not accept so easy her new nature and Sesshoumaru didn't understand. She wasn't a fool. She had understand that Sesshoumaru was training her to have a good allied in fight, someone able to utilize his power to defend his master. Yes, it was just this: accepting to follow him, Anna was become a Sesshoumaru's property. She was useful for studying human's feelings and as a weapon, a makeshift to Tetsusaiga. And because Rin, sure. "I do my best.- she hissed, showing her fangs, looking at the point where Sesshoumaru had disappeared- He has no right to make me feel like this!" "Oh, surely! Do you want do make him pay for this? What's that, do you want to die?" asked her rational mind. She shook her head and golden hair fell onto her face. Attack him was not her intention, but.HE HAD NO RIGHT TO MAKE HER FEEL LIKE THIS!!! Killing abruptly her rational mind, Anna throw herself in pursuit of Sesshoumaru with a deep anger in her eyes. Thousands and thousands tortures and cruel phrases run through her mind while she run to him, but all this, even her anger, died inexorably when she came out in a clearing and saw Rin grasp on a Sesshoumaru's leg, laughing while she offered to him a bunch of flowers. It was not that Sesshoumaru showed any expression on that beautiful and glacial face, but the scene was sweet. Anna's anger vanished and the girl sighed, shaking her head and stopping her steps. "I'm really, really stupid." she thought. "Nee-chan!- Rin greeted, running to her- Look! Rin has pick flowers for you too!" "Thank you, dear." she answered, smiling faintly and trying to not show the hole in her soul. She took the flowers, than clutched Rin's hand. "Have you learn many things, today?" the child asked. Everybody started to walk behind Sesshoumaru, that had woke up Jaken from his afternoon sleep with a kick. "Many things, Rin.- Anna answered, looking at the fluffy tail of Sesshoumaru with absent eyes- Many. More than I've ever want to learn." she ended in her mind, before take in her arms Rin and make her steps as fast as inu-youkai's steps. Sesshoumaru landed on a tree's branch, not caring the strong wind from east. It was deep night and his companions slept under him. All but Anna, her behavior strange since that afternoon. Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes and saw her sitting on the grass, looking at the empty, for what he could know. He corrugated his forehead, From that afternoon fight, the girl was been strange. Her anger's smell wasn't passed unobserved to his nose, when she had that crisis after he had treated her in that bad way, either the fact she was in pursuit of him with aggressive intentions. Stupid wench, really stupid, he had thought, deaf at Rin's happy voice while he attended that she came out in the clearing. He was very curious to see if she had enough guts and madness to attack him, with the poor technique she managed. At that point, maybe a little lesson over how to treat and answer to the Great Sesshoumaru was really necessary. But when she came out in the clearing, the anger had vanished from the girl and his youki and her fight spirit had disappeared. When he had turned, he had saw her look at Rin with absent eyes, while the child run to her with the flowers in her hands. Sesshoumaru was perplexed and annoyed because the lost fight. He had a strong desire to relieve himself. It didn't seem that Anna had felt fear for her deed. Before the anger vanished, there were been a mixture of strange feelings without sense. Than.the oblivion. Since she had came out from the forest, from Anna's body didn't come the smell of one feeling. Sesshoumaru had thought about this for the entire day. Could it be that the girl had learned how to hide her emotions? It was a refined art and it was very difficult at a concentration level. Sesshoumaru was a master of it and he knew very well that only few peoples could arrive at his level. It needed a remarkable coldness and a rigorous control over one's own body. He didn't believe she could learn it in this few time, but.Maybe she wanted revenge over his caustic words of that afternoon. In that case, she had broken their agreement and Sesshoumaru would been constrict to kill her. The youkai landed his head to the tree, clutching an annoyed sigh. No. Even in the more bold hypothesis, it was too much soon; she couldn't have that power. Probably, his words had move her deep inside and that is the effect, temporarily for sure. Maybe he should had been less hard with her, if she was troubled it was all for his damage. Maybe his lack of tact was the only thing in common with his bastard brother Inuyasha. "Nee-chan." Rin's voice distracted him from his thoughts. Looking under him, he saw the child walk to Anna, who returned on the material world with some difficult.  
  
"What, Rin-chan?- Anna asked, her voice tender and worried as always but not her face- It was very late. Aren't you able to sleep?" Rin shook her head and Anna made her sit over her legs. "Rin have done a nightmare." murmured Rin. "A nightmare?- Anna asked, hugging her- What have you dreamed?" "Wolves." whispered Rin. Sesshoumaru passed trough his hair, annoyed. Always the same nightmare. The image of her death was still in Rin's mind, even if not in on an aware level. "Don't be afraid, Rin-chan.- Anna said to her, starting to rock her- Here you have me, Sesshoumaru-sama, and even that ugly toad of Jaken!" Rin giggled and Jaken, disturbed, rolling in his sleep. "No one wolf will come near. You don't have to be afraid." "Yes, Rin know it." whispered Rin, before make a big yawn. Anna started to sing a song with low voice and soon the child slept in her arms. "That song." Sesshoumaru thought, recognizing the slow and melancholy sound. It was the same song he had heard her sing the night she had became an inu-youkai. In spite of the child was already sleeping, Anna went on to sing till the song finished. Sesshoumaru felt a change in her. After one moment, Anna was surrounded by a sad aura. He saw her hug Rin more tightly and bow her head, hiding her face with the hair. Sesshoumaru smiled. Every doubt was gone. Anna wasn't able to restrain her emotions. She was only locked. Satisfied, he returned to look at the sky, waiting the dawn. Another day of march and they'll been at home, finally. 


	6. Heart of Youkai 6

Author's note: Please, write some comments! I really love to read your point of view!!  
  
CHAPTER 6 THE PRINCESS OF THE CASTLE "Here we are." The voice of Sesshoumaru attracted the attention of the three behind him. It was the entire day that they walked, but the sight from the hill where they were stopped was worthwhile. In the valley under them there was a huge mansion, and it occupied an area as big as a small city's. The big palace, sumptuous but not flashy, was surrounded by three circles of walls, one more high than the other, separated by gorgeous gardens, crossed by artificial rivers and lakes. "It's beautiful." Anna whispered, in admiration. "Nee-chan! Look, how many flowers!- Rin cried, clapping her hands- That house is all a big garden!" "Sure, it is a beautiful palace! It is Sesshoumaru-sama's home!- said Jaken, looking at the two with superiority- What did you expect from my master, Lord of the Western Lands?" "But how could it pass unobserved to human's eyes? Don't you have problems from them?" Anna asked, perplexed, while Sesshoumaru started to walk another time. "A barrier hide the house from indiscreet eyes.- answered Jaken, rejoicing like it was all his merit- The three walls hide defenses against every kind of youkai. It was a project of my master's father, but the barrier against human was raised again only after his death, because." Jaken bit his tongue, seeing the glacial look of his lord, and went on to walk in silence. Anna looked at Sesshoumaru. It wasn't difficult to understand the sense of Jaken's words. After fall in love with a human woman, the father of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had took away the barrier. Sesshoumaru, at his death, had put it in its place another time. He hated humans. Rin was an exception and herself was not a human anymore. They arrived soon at the first wall, to a big black door, with signs in red enamel. The glacises were full of sentries. "Our master is back!" someone cried from the upper. Many horns played, while the big door was opened. "Nice to see you again, master!" greeted one who seemed the head of the sentinels. Sesshoumaru didn't look at him, going on in the first garden, disseminated of fruit's tree. Anna e Rin looked around in admiration. Anna's new sense of smell caught more fragrances than she could manage. That home was full of people. They were all low-power youkais and hanyous, from their smell. She couldn't sense any human presence, but this thing was expected. Soon, they were at the second wall, the door already open for them. They passed it while the sentinels greeted them, looking at each other in surprise and curiosity because the human child and that new inu-youkai. They entered in a garden where grew many species of flowers. Rin was near to escape from Anna's arm because her happiness. "Why am I not affected by the barriers?" Anna asked, curios. She had crossed half of the territory but no forces had gave her any damage. "It's destined to peoples whit aggressive intentions- explained Jaken, with a bored but confident face- You are a Sesshoumaru-sama's slave, so you can't have aggressive intentions." Anna looked at Jaken with hartred, than made him fall on the ground head first, always walking behind Sesshoumaru. She couldn't restrain herself to punish that 'I'll always lick my master shoes' toad for call her a slave. "I'm a weapon, not a slave" she thought. She sighed. It wasn't very different. "Look how many peoples, nee-chan!" Rin murmured, a little afraid, pointing in front of them. They were near to the third and last garden and at the door seemed to stand the entire population of the castle, all together to receive them. They stopped their steps at the door. "Nice to see you, Sesshoumaru-sama." an old equine youkai said. Sesshoumaru greeted with an head's deed. There were some minutes of embarrassing silence, than the youkai asked: "Can we ask, Sesshoumaru-sama, who are your companions?" Sesshoumaru gave a distract look at his retinue, like he had forget them for an instant, than nodded. "This evening, in the Big Hall, I'll explain who they are, but first you'll tell to me everything is happened in this house in my absence." he answered with a cold voice. "Naturally, Sesshoumaru-sama." the old said, bowing. The people left, so the group could reach the house. Anna, feeling their curiosity, became menacing, hugging Rin. They had only to touch her.This garden was full of bower, lakes and tiny bridges. All was orange because the sunset. Anna slow her steps, looking around her. "I'll live here from now on." she whispered. "Do you want to stand there for all the day?" The dry voice of Sesshoumaru woke her up from her thoughts. She turned with a not very polite answer on the point of her tongue, but the words died in her throat. The inu-youkai was right in front the entrance, looking at her with an annoyed face and the sunset painted of gold his silver hair. But for a moment, Anna was sure that it was night and that Sesshoumaru was a desperate person who cried out something.something she had heard but that she couldn't remember after been carried in that world. As it arrived, this feeling left her. Uncertain of her strength, she left Rin to walk with her feet. "We come." she whispered, passing an hand over her face. She wasn't very happy noticing that it was trembling. When they came in, Rin and Anna was separated from Sesshoumaru and entrusted to the cares of some female hanyous of the house. Anna was carried through many elegant corridors and on a balcony. There, she was introduced in a rich bedroom with a window on the other side of the garden. The hanyous told her that those were the female's quarters and that if she'd lost the orientation all she had to do was ask to one of them. They wash her, then made her dress and comb. While she sat on a big mirror, trying to habit herself to the new dress (really similar to the dress of Inuyasha's mother), she asked about Rin. "The child is in the second corridor to your right, Anna-sama.- answered an hanyou- Sesshoumaru-sama has ordered that she'd be positioned not very distant from you." "Don't call me Anna-sama, please." said Anna, embarrassed. The hanyous shook their head. It was their habit to treat a full-blood youkai in that way. They carried to her the dinner without news about Sesshoumaru. Anna sat near the window after the hanyous went away, thinking about the vision during the sunset. She couldn't thinking for a long time, because Jaken went to call her. After many corridors, and Anna was near to ask to herself when she'd been able to understand how to return to her room, they arrived in a big lightly room. Many persons were crowded inside, and others attended outside. Everybody murmured a greeting to Jaken and Anna. The youkai girl looked around, searching Rin and finally she found her near two low-power youkais, well dresses and combed. "Nee-chan!- the child exclaimed, running to her- See how they dress nice Rin! And you are beautiful, too, nee-chan!" Anna smiled to the child, then raised her eyes, meeting Sesshoumaru's eyes. He was in conference with the Palace's Guardian. Sesshoumaru noticed their presence and made them the deed to come near the big throne he was sit on. Anna approached with caution, with Rin very near her. She noticed that Sesshoumaru's dress was the same as ever. She hadn't even took away the armour, but as always he didn't have a single hair out of place. While they approached him, Sesshoumaru made a deed to the crowd, asking silence. His order was immediately satisfied. Anna made a face. It wasn't difficult to image that was the fear what generated all that obedience. "I'm returned from a long trip, leaving this palace without a Lord.- started Sesshoumaru, looking at the hall- There are been some disobedience, but after all I've the pleasure to notice that nothing is changed and all is in good conditions." There were whispers of relief. Surely the disobedient were already died. Anna had a realistic idea of how Sesshoumaru had spent the past few hours. The youkai bowed his eyes and made a deed to Rin. The child look at Anna, than went to Sesshoumaru, that put an hand over her head. "This human child is Rin. She is under my protection.- Sesshoumaru said, coldly- Whoever will damage her, will die, and in the same way who will make a comment about the question." His words fell on a grave's silence. Anna made an ironic smile. Sesshoumaru left Rin and clutched an hand of Anna, that look at him with surprise. Sesshoumaru didn't look at her. "This is Anna.- Sesshoumaru said- She is an inu-youkai under me. Her orders will be second only from mine." Jaken muffled in one hand. Anna had took his position in the palace in one instant. "Who will violate her orders will cause a damage to me, so he'll die." Other silence. Anna gave a glance to Sesshoumaru, who took her hand, still. With a strange feeling to her stomach, she looked away. "With this, I've finished. You can return to your occupations." Sesshoumaru said. The crowd went away and in the hall remained only in four. "Jaken, carry Rin in her room." Sesshoumaru ordered, leaving finally Anna's hand, that massaged it like it was fired. The toad, muttering, carried outside Rin, who left with a loud goodnight. Anna and Sesshoumaru remained in silence for some minutes. "Can I go, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Anna asked in the end. It seemed that Sesshoumaru hadn't anything to say. Sesshoumaru turned to her with a thoughtful expression, than he approached her. "What.what want he do?" Anna asked to herself, making a step behind. Sesshoumaru clutched her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. Anna' s heart lose an heartbeat. She had never been near him in that way. The handsomeness of Sesshoumaru's face was in that moment untenable "Se...Sesshoumaru-sama." she said, swallowing with difficult. "I want this is clear. Your order are second from mine, but don't abuse of your power." Sesshoumaru said. It was a cold shower. "Oh.sure." Anna answered, stunned. Sesshoumaru fixed her for another moment, than let her go. "I don't want insubordination. - he said, sitting on the throne- You'll be better remembering it, or you'll be treated as the others." "I know it, Sesshoumaru-sama." Anna said. Sesshoumaru dismissed her and Anna left the hall with a trembling goodnight. She went through the corridors, with an hand over her heart. "You've ever know his beauty. -she said to herself, trying to stop the flush on her cheeks- What is different now? He is cold and cruel. Take it easy, Anna, or Sesshoumaru will be able to understand." "To understand.what?" she whispered, stopping her steps. She returned to her room only after some time, partially spent searching through that corridor she'd lived in from now on. 


	7. Heart of Youkai 7

Author's note: Ses-chan & C. are not a property of mine ( it's better say it sometimes, or I could fool myself.), but Anna is another thing, stay away with your bloody hands! Eheh! Please, try to appreciate my efforts, I'm deadly tired but I'm writing only for you! ç_ç I hope to have more time to write many chapter at a time, or this fic will become eternal! Kisses to you all!  
  
CHAPTER 7 RULES CAN CHANGE  
  
Anna went out from her room and started to walk on the corridor, going to Rin's bedroom. "Good morning, Anna-sama." greeted an hanyou, passing with her arms full of pieces of clean linen. Anna greeted in reply with a deed of her hand, but when the hanyou was passed she returned serious and sighed. She stopped her steps before leaving the balcony and put an hand over the railing, looking at the inner courtyard, in that moment desert. It was dawn. From her change in a youkai, Anna hadn't really need to sleep every night, but she still did it because the old habit. It was an usual thing, now, wake up soon in the morning and then watch Rin's sleep, so the child found her near her bed every morning. How much time was passed by from their arrival in that big palace? Maybe not a month yet, but Anna's feelings said an entire life. She sighed already and leaned on the railing, playing with a lock of her golden hair. Rin had taken habit with the new, sumptuous home completely at her disposal. She was exploring all the gardens under Anna's watchful look, asking explanations to the castle's gardeners, she run and played. She seemed very happy. But for Anna it wasn't the same. Oh, sure, by now she know all the palace by memory, she was able to find her way also by her smell's sense. All was nice and comfortable, but the beauty was near to tire her now. Speaking clear, without the presence of Rin, Anna'd been caught by an oppressive boredom. Anna and Rin hadn't ever seen Sesshoumaru in all that time, if not occasionally. The youkai seemed to have forget even their existence. He convoked Anna one time a week, asking about Rin. The talks were ever brief and cold, then Sesshoumaru dismissed her. He provided for their dresses and their food, bur he didn't want to spend his time with them. Anna had tried to don't think at it. She played with Rin, explored the castle, tried to know all the servants, trained herself in a big dojo under the palace. But her uneasiness was still there and grew. Futile fool herself, she couldn't live in that cold palace without its cold master. Did she miss Sesshoumaru? Maybe, yes. But she couldn't see why. By the way, during the travel to the palace, he wasn't surely a friendly person. She raised her right hand, now appearing more human without her youkai's nails. It was a thing taught by Sesshoumaru, how to hide them and not damage Rin inadvertently. All her youkai's nature was tied to Sesshoumaru. "I miss that iceberg without heart.- she whispered- I'm really ridiculous." With a nervous deed, she left the balcony and went to Rin's room. After in the afternoon, Anna and Rin walked to the same balcony, their arms full of flowers from the garden. "You'll see, Nee-chan!- Rin said, taking care of the flowers and looking with regret every lost petal- Your bedroom will become beautiful with all these flowers! We'll make big bunches and put them everywhere!" "Isn't it better to decorate YOUR room, Rin-chan?" Anna asked, knowing the answer. "Rin's room is already full of flowers, Nee-chan! Rin wants that Sesshoumaru-sama fall in love of Anna-nee-chan's room when he'll go to visit her!" the child exclaimed. Anna sighed, shaking her head. It was useless tell to the child that Sesshoumaru hadn't the intention to 'visit her' , either that for her refined nose the smell of all that flower was intoxicating. She'd had to make them disappear soon, in some way. They reached the door of Anna's room. The youkai moved the flowers over one arm and clutched the handle, but another smell reached her through the flower's intoxicating one. There was someone in her room. Anna's eyes became iced, but she pretended carelessness. She turned to Rin with a bright smile. "Rin, dear, can you go to take my hair ribbon? I think I I've left it in your room before going in the garden. I can't work in this way." she asked. Rin nodded, noticing her untied hair. She gave her bunch to Anna and run to her bedroom. When the child disappeared beyond the corner, Anna's smile vanished. She opened the door with a relaxed movement. Whoever was the intruder, he was landed at the left of the door. Whit a movement as quick as lightning, Anna entered and jumping to her left, clutching the intruder's neck and nailing him to the wall while the bunch of flowers scattered on the floor. She heard a woman's scream. The intruder was nothing more dangerous than a female half bird hanyou shaking under her grip. Anna snorted and left her go, but the hanyou collapsed on her knees. "Don't enter in my room without permission.- said Anna, sighing and picking up all the flowers- I tell you this for your safety. I'm just a little hypersensitive, in these last times." Anna put the bunch over a decorated table, then opened the big window with sight over the garden. "Well?" Anna asked. The hanyou was still silent. "Rin has your ribbon, nee-chan!" Rin exclaimed, entering in that moment. She stood, perplex, at the sight of the hanyou on the floor. Anna reach her and took the ribbon from her hands. "Thank you, Rin-chan.- she said- Now, lock the door and sit near me." Rin obeyed. Anna poured tea for herself and the child, than offered a cup to the hanyou. She, finally, went out from her immobility and reached them, taking the cup with a faint smile. "Well?" Anna said another time. "Please, excuse my intrusion, Anna-sama." murmured the hanyou. Anna made a bored deed to liquidate the question. "I'm Rika, first concubine of Sesshoumaru-sama." Anna's face hardened perceptibly. "Ah, I understand.- it was her cold comment- So, Sesshoumaru-sama has a sort of harem." Rin look at the two woman with an unknowing expression. "Yes, he has, Anna-sama, but." The hanyou stooped her words, uncertain. "Please, go on.- Anna said- I've made habit with every sort of thing." An harem.what a horror! Did she miss that damned ice-heart man that gave vent to his instinct over girls he didn't love? Here it was, how he spent his spare time! She was near to feel sick. "Well, it's much time that Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't visit one of us." Rika said. Anna looked at her for one moment, deciding she didn't lie. "Why should I be involved with these Sesshoumaru-sama activities?" she asked, not very cordial. "As hime of this castle, I've asked to myself if Sesshoumaru-sama had told to you about a near visit to his concubines, to give you a relax from." Rika said, but she shut up immediately seeing Anna paling and her eyes becoming full of anger. The inu-youkai banged the cup on the table with violence, cracking it. "First of all, Sesshoumaru-sama hasn't ever reach this room, neither me HIS room. What he do with his concubines was not an affair of mine and I don't want to know anything about it. I only look at Rin and fight, for Sesshoumaru-sama, and that's all!" she hissed with anger. She tried to calm down rising on her feet and going to the window. "Second, I'm not the hime of this castle. If you miss his attentions so much, go and tell it to him." "No, Anna-sama! It's not this!- Rika said, in a hurry- One of us has a great problem.but maybe I've made an error." Anna turned in surprise. "So, this is the reason of your presence here." Anna said. Rika nodded. "If Sesshoumaru-sama will come in the harem, he'll discover it. I've thought that you could save her from the punishment." the hanyou said. Anna sighed, than sat, more calm. "What is happened?" she asked. Rika started her story. Sesshoumaru sat on the glacis of the last wall. The wind played with his hair and with the elegant dress he wore at home, free by the armour he wore during travel. He didn't have habit whit the homely life, he didn't like the thoughts running in his mind and making him inactive. Around him, the sentinels carried on their activities in silence, trying to not disturb their master. Sesshoumaru darkened. It was passed one month from his return to home and still he didn't have managed a single plain about Tetsusaiga. In reality, the thought of the sword made a hard work to find a road in Sesshoumaru's mind. Maybe because Anna was his new weapon? She was a powerful weapon, able to take the life of everyone with only one touch, without consider her inu-youkai's powers. He knew that she trained herself every day in the dojo, he had spies in the castle that told him every deed of the girl and the child. He didn't have tried to search her company or Rin's, preferring stay alone and put a little order in his confused mind. By the way, they were only a weapon and a study's object.But sometimes he couldn't restrain himself to turn at the sound of Rin's laughs and when Anna sang for Rin, he stood at the window till she stopped. The two didn't know that, there were no reason to talk with them about his actions. In that case, he didn't understand himself. This thing created more thoughts and so he stood always alone. "Maybe I'd have to leave the castle another time." he whispered. "My Lord Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes, annoyed because the interruption. Jaken was running to the wall with his goofy posture. "What, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru asked, bored. "I've discovered a thing, Sesshoumaru-sama!- Jaken said, near to jump for joy- One of your concubines has blemish your honour!" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. He landed on the ground and grasped Jaken by the neck, raising him at his face level. Jaken, in a hurry, said everything in one minute, more or less. One sentinel and a concubine had fell in love each other and had made a bastard child. Now the child was growing inside Sesshoumaru's harem. "Will you kill her, right, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, excited, while Sesshoumaru left him go, making him fall on the ground heavily. The youkai didn't answer, walking in silence to the palace. He didn't care at all about his harem. It was a present from an old friend of his father and Sesshoumaru had used it only rarely and in youth. Now, he was near to forget it completely, but those women had to give him respect. The deed of the lovers had to be punished. He entered in the castle and went directly on the women's block. Everybody drew back theirself from him, feeling his coldness. Sesshoumaru reached a big door and opened it with a knock. The women inside turned to him, frightened. "Se.Sesshoumaru-sama." they murmured, before try to reach him. Sesshoumaru dispelled them and went to a child's smell. He went near a low-power kitsune. "It's futile to hide him, wench." he said. The youkai girl started to tremble but didn't stop to hug a restless bundle to her breast. "I can't tolerate such a thing.- he said without expression over his face- Die." he raised his nailed hand and then lowered it over the girl, that closed her eyes and tried to defend her babe. "NO!" The voice from his back slackened the mortal movement of Sesshoumaru's hand and his nails, a moment later, reached a body but not the kitsune's. Under his surprised eyes, Anna was right through him and his victim. The nails were inside her shoulder, making her bleed, but Anna's expression was full of obstinacy and challenge. "What the hell are you doing?!" asked Sesshoumaru, drawing back his hand. "It's wrong that you kill her." Anna said, still hiding the girl with her body. "What is right or wrong in this house is only an affair of mine." Sesshoumaru said. "You don't care about these women!- replied Anna with violence- Leave them to love or have a child, if they want to!" Sesshoumaru darkened. What strange things was talking about, that fool? "I'm sure I've tell you that I can't, I DON'T tolerate insubordination." he started, but in that moment Rin and Rika entered in the big room. Rin's eyes grew at the sight of a bleeding Anna. "Nee-chan!" she cried, going to her, but Rika stopped her, looking alternatively to Sesshoumaru and Anna with frightened eyes. "And what may I do with them, speak it loud." sighed Sesshoumaru, after a moment of silence. Anna smiled, she had won. In that moment, she fell on a knee, her face pale and sweaty, and Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. "Fool. You have my poison through your veins." murmured. Whit big surprise of Anna, Sesshoumaru took her in his arms (NoA Well, arm.^^;;;) , than talked to the concubines. "From this moment, you're not my concubines anymore. You'll ask to Anna about your new mansions." he said, coldly, before going outside the room. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama, hime-sama." the concubines whispered. Rin clutched Rika's kimono, afraid. "Will nee-chan heal?" she asked. Rika smiled. "Sure! Sesshoumaru-sama will take care of her." she answered. Sesshoumaru exited while Jaken arrived, out of breath, sure to have lost the mother scene. He stood mouth open seeing his lord carrying Anna in his arms. "Carry to me my poison's antidote." ordered Sesshoumaru, before disappearing. The youkai carried Anna in her room, than put her on the bed. He looked at her still and pale face, than shook his head and went to the window. "I don't understand what run though her head.- he murmured- She is really stupid." In spite of that words, a second later he was still near her, healing her wounds. 


	8. Heart of Youkai 8

Author's note: It's time, chapter number eight.I've made a calculation, and I'm afraid this fic will count more than twenty chapters.;_; I've finished my exams ^_^ so I may have more time to write more and soon, because I'm afraid you'll kill me if I'll leave the chapters in a clue moment.^^;;; Meow!  
  
CHAPTER 8  
  
AN INTRUSIVE GUEST  
  
Anna recovered completely from the poison in two days, two days that saw Sesshoumaru spending his time at her side to look at her with a strange critical face and shooting a question after the other. "Why have you put yourself through and haven't left me to kill her?" was, in brief, the most recurrently question. Anna had almost lost her patience. She had explained it to him infinite times, using the same conciliatory tone that peoples use with children to explain them how terrible are their tricks, but it seemed that Sesshoumaru had ears lined. Anna sighed, annoyed, when the question appeared within the questioner. By now, the poison was completely vanished because the antidote Sesshoumaru had gave to her in those past two days. Anna was in doubt that argue with him could help her health, but it was futile to talk about it.By the way, besides his company was exasperating, the girl was secretly happy he had decided to spend his time talking with her, even if annoying her constantly. "I can't understand your point of view." said for the twentieth time Sesshoumaru, looking at her with a superior air. Anna sighed, sitting crossed legs. "Like, I've said, Sesshoumaru-sama,- started Anna, knowing the script by memory- you were near to kill a mother with her babe. It's a wrong action. They were two peoples more weak than you." "Who is weak is more simply to crush, for me." replied Sesshoumaru, without follow her reasoning. "It's not right to impose your own strength over weakly persons, that haven't ever attacked you in any way!" said Anna, making a face. "First of all, my strength exists to be imposed over someone.- underlined Sesshoumaru- Second, that woman and her creature have offended me." Anna snorted and Sesshoumaru darkened. "Don't tell me silliness, Sesshoumaru-sama.- Anna muttered- You didn't care about your concubines, only you have a huge ego." She gave him a glance, knowing that her words were too much, but Sesshoumaru seemed thinking about her reasoning. "I may say you're right, and that my concubines are nothing for me.- Sesshoumaru said, surprising her- In this case, they are completely of no use for me. Why have you wanted that they could live still here? Their lives have no sense. Why don't kill what is no more useful?" Anna covered her face with one hand, discouraged. But what a race of reasoning?! "Sesshoumaru-sama, the world don't spin around you.- she said, almost snarling- Peoples don't live for you, dying when are of no use. Nobody is an object." "Whoever lives here is mine." said Sesshoumaru, coldly. "But also of theirself and of other persons.- said Anna with energy, touched on the row- Even if a person is no useful for you, he could serve to other and love his own life. Life is not a thing to take away with thoughtlessly!" Sesshoumaru thought for an instant, the opened his mouth to reply, but someone knocked at the door. "Come in, Jaken." the two youkais said, sniffing his smell. The toad entered with an annoyed face. He didn't appreciate very much that his master stood with that strange girl, listening to her crazy reasoning. He didn't want that strange ideas could be put in his master's head. Since Sesshoumaru has revived Rin with Tenseiga, Jaken had ugly foreboding. He noticed that Sesshoumaru was looking at him with an annoyed face for his silence, so he returned in himself with a gulp. "Ehm, I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama,- he said, rolling the Ninto's staff in his hands- but there's a guest at the First Door." "Dismiss him." Sesshoumaru said, turning to Anna another time. "But he is a friend of your father!" Jaken muttered. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead, then raised on his feet with a fluid movement and walked to the door. Before exit, he turned. "We'll go on to talk another time. It's a.curious conversation." he said to Anna, before exit and lock the door under him. Anna looked at the door, than landed over the bed, sighing. Curious conversation? Kami-sama, maybe she had to give up, leaving Sesshoumaru thinking as ever. "But he listen to me.- she whispered- It's a step ahead." "Anna-nee-chan!" she heard outside her door. Anna smiled and Rin came in with a big head of fruits. "Look, nee-chan, they have given this fruit to Rin! Can we eat it?" Anna smiled and nodded. "Let's go outside.- she said, dressing herself- I'm tired of my room." The two went in the garden just in front of the Palace, sitting under a willow near a dark water lake. Soon, they were reach by Rika and the female kitsune with her child, Misao and Shuei. Anna had given them the task of take care of Rin when she was not with her. In reality, she thought only it was better to be in five. Chatting and laughing, they ate Rin's fruit. Anna was taking a butterfly over her finger, surprising Rin, when she noticed Sesshoumaru, going to the castle with someone. "So, that's the guest?" she murmured, trying to see his appearance. He was a youkai in human form, richly dresses. Anna understood he was a powerful youkai. He was for sure a major youkai. She saw Rika hide herself behind Misao. "Do you know anything about him, Rika?" she asked. "He is an old friend of Sesshoumaru-sama's father, Anna-sama.- Rika said, nervous- He's a reptile youkai very powerful. He is who gave all us to Sesshoumaru-sama." Anna made a face. She didn't like that youkai from the start. "Bah, probably we'll not have a single occasion to know him." she said. The butterfly flied away. "Rin can hold him, Misao?" Rin asked, stretching her arms to Shuei while they was returning in the palace after the afternoon in the open air. "Surely, Rin.- laughed the kitsune- Only, take care. My dear Shuei is a little restless." "Hime-sama!" Anna sighed and stopped her steps hearing the voice from behind her, in the hall. Why were they so fixed with that damned 'hime-sama'? "Yes?" she asked, turning to the Palace's Guardian, who was running to their little group. The old youkai bowed briefly, than said: "Sesshoumaru- sama invite you to join to him and his guest in his rooms, in an hour and half. You'll have dinner whit them." Anna stood, speechless, but nodded. The Palace's Guardian bowed another time, than went away. "You'll must to prepare yourself suitable for the dinner, Anna-sama!" Rika exclaimed, happy, pushing her to her room. Rin jumped behind them, followed by Misao. "It's only a dinner, Rika!" Anna sighed, but she left her do what she wanted. Anna stopped herself in front of the door, tormenting the folds of the elegant dress Rika had obliged her to wear. Her golden hair was combed in an high ponytail. Why be so nervous? Maybe because she hadn't ever reach Sesshoumaru's rooms? Or because she was near to dinner with him? Thinking well, she didn't know what was Sesshoumaru's food. She remembered that Rin had had many problem with the hard to please youkai. "But in what a kind of thought are you losing yourself?" she thought, annoyed, than she knocked and the Palace's Guardian opened the door. "Follow me, hime-sama." he said, turning and starting to walk trough a rich hall full of precious objects. Anna looked around, curious. Love for beauty was the preponderant line in Sesshoumaru, besides his legendary coldness. She crossed three rooms, than entered in a big dinner's room with a long prepared table. Sesshoumaru was sit at the head of the table. His guest was at his left, laughing in that moment. Sesshoumaru's face, on the contrary, was deadly serious. The inu-youkai turned to her. "Come in." he said, making a deed to his right. Anna bowed briefly to the guest, than entered. The Palace's Guardian locked the door. "Good evening." Anna murmured, taking place in front of the guest. She noticed that the dinner was typical Japanese style, maybe a little more refined. "I don't think I'll take this mystery tonight." she thought, a little amused. "So, this is our little novice!" the reptile youkai said, throwing himself over the table to clutch and kiss her hand. Anna raised an eyebrow. The youkai had a totally human form, but his skin was pale green and his eyes were yellow. His black hair was cut short and his insolent smile showed pointed teeth. He seemed not more old than Sesshoumaru, but he had to be many centuries old than him. "I'm Anna." she underlined, with a very brief smile. "Anna, this is Tetsuya, an old friend of my father." Sesshoumaru said, coldly. Anna nodded, drawing back her hand, and the youkai made a fool bow, than turned to Sesshoumaru. "A perfect choice, my dear.- he said- Good-looking and powerful. Excellent to bear your pure children!" He laughed at the icing expression of Sesshoumaru. "I've no intention to make children.- Sesshoumaru answered- Neither Anna is my mate. She'll fight for me, when the occasion will come." "Are you telling me that you don't enjoy your nights with her?" Tetsuya provoked. Anna decided that that youkai was on the head of her black list. "Just a little?" said already the reptile, with a very annoying voice. Sesshoumaru gave him a vexed glance and Tetsuya laughed. "All right, all right. I know you are a misogynous!- the youkai giggled- But this sweetie is really wasted! I bet that she is able not to fight only ." Anna ignored him deliberately and started to eat. During the dinner, there was a strange tensed air. Tetsuya went on to provoke Anna, now sure she wasn't in relation with Sesshoumaru; Anna hated him already, but acted with cold politeness. Sesshoumaru, simply, didn't speak. When she could, Anna went away from the table and dismissed herself. Tetsuya followed her movements till she exited, then a smile appeared over his face. "Really gorgeous, nothing to say. Maybe a little cold, but what a morsel!" he said, rubbing his hands. He looked at Sesshoumaru, that was in perfect silence. "Oy, borrow her to me for this night." he said. Sesshoumaru looked at him with eyes of ice. "No." he answered. "Oh, be nice! You don't use her.- went on the youkai- I, on the contrary, have a couple of ideas." Sesshoumaru's contrariety showed itself only with a twitch of the hand on the table, so brief that Tetsuya didn't notice it. Sesshoumaru was very annoyed by the presence of Tetsuya. He didn't love his perverted and exuberant ways, he had gave him a bed just because that reptile had help his father in the past, in a battle against some youkais in war with his family. It was for a night only, but the youkai had heard that the castle had a new hime, so he asked to know her. Anna was all but the hime of that castle and now that Tatsuya knew it, he was more annoying. Sesshoumaru didn't care about Anna, really not, but it was clear that she reputed Tetsuya tiresome and that she was ready to fight against the 'attentions' of that pervert. All could end bad. He could lose his more powerful weapon, or he could have the dead body of an old friend of his father through his feet. "I've said no, Tetsuya.- he said again, raising from the table- She may not appreciate your attentions, and she fights very well." "How caring!- twittered Tetsuya- You are changing, my boy. Once you didn't care about anything or anyone. You are softening, like your father before you." Sesshoumaru turned and clutch Tetsuya's neck with violence. "Be careful.- he said, approaching his face to the reptile's- I could not attend Anna's deed. Don't insult my hospitality." After this, Sesshoumaru left him and went out of the room. Tetsuya massaged his neck with a smile. "Oh, but you'll say thank you to me, my dear boy.- giggled- I'm pretty sure I'm here to avoid the worst." "Idiot, moron, swine." Anna snarled, coming in her room and banging the door. Pervert of a youkai, how he dares?! Treat her like a.like a. The window cracked, scattering pieces everywhere, within a laugh. Anna tensed, ready to the battle. "Mm, maybe you aren't talking about the young Sesshoumaru." said a voice, soon followed by Tatsuya entering from the window with a jump. "Go out." Anna grumbled, showing her fangs. "Sesshoumaru has told me that you'll appreciate my company, honey." twitted Tetsuya. Anna became mad for angry. "I advise you: go out or you'll pay for this!" she said. Tetsuya laughed, than threw himself against Anna, that avoided. She extended an hand to take his life, than drew back, cursing. This was a Sesshoumaru's guest, hell! More of all, she had never take anyone's life, only that youkai's one, when she was dead like human! She avoided two other attacks, that attacked his enemy, wounded him on the face. "Good, child!- Tetsuya said, licking his blood- But don't think to repeat it." He attacked another time and Anna took a violent punch in her abdomen, making her land on the floor. Tetsuya blocked her, emanating from his body a green and acid cloud of poison. Anna tried to not breath, but this didn't let her to use her strength to put away that damned youkai. "Right, be nice.- Tetsuya giggled- Now we enjoy together." Anna closed her eyes. What to do, to use her powers and kill him? Before she could decide, the weight over her disappeared. "I'm pretty sure I've tell you to leave her alone." said a coldly voice. She opened her eyes. Over her, Sesshoumaru was taking Tetsuya by his neck at two feet from the ground. 


	9. Heart of Youkai 9

Author's note: To you, the ninth chapter, down your weapons! I would write more, but I need a '48 hours' day.I hope you'll go on to read my fic, send me comments!! Kisses and see ya!  
  
CHAPTER 9 AN UNEXPECTED PURCHASE  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama." Anna said, clearing her throat flamed by the reptile youkai's poison. Sesshoumaru didn't look at her, going on to squeeze Tetsuya's neck with a deadly serious face. "I don't like that anyone would touch what is mine." he said, before send the youkai against the wall with extreme violence, making flying debris everywhere. Tetsuya raised on his feet a little slowly, but with an insolent grin over his face. "My boy, you're really inpatient!- he said, clearing his dresses from the dust- Be sure, this experience will be a blessing for her!" Anna growled and Sesshoumaru's face darkened. "You have insult my hospitality.- Sesshoumaru said, ready to attack with the power of his lethal claws- You have ignored my will, and it is not my habit to pass over such a thing." "Are you sure, Sesshoumaru? Do you want to attack me?- Tetsuya asked, with a laugh- Remember, I was a friend of your father!" "I don't care, sorry.- Sesshoumaru said, with a cynical smile- But you, are you sure about fight me inside this palace?" Tetsuya stood for a moment and Sesshoumaru took advantage attacking him. Tetsuya avoided, but his smile was completely vanished. "Damn!!" he hissed, before jump out the window and run away. Sesshoumaru started to follow him, ignoring Anna's call, who went out in the garden with him. She saw the two youkais chase one the other, jumping from one wall to the other, going to the land outside the Palace's territory. Anna's heart beat at an incredible speed. The youkai girl put an hand over it, trying to calm it down. Sesshoumaru had saved her, he didn't give her to that youkai.ok, he had only saved a property, but the thing didn't offend her much. She asked to herself why Tetsuya had run away in that way, then understood. The barriers! Whoever would attack the Lord of the castle, would be affected by the barrier's power! That two wanted to fight outside the castle! Anna's hands became fists. Sesshoumaru was surely powerful and he didn't ever lost, only his brother was able to defeat him, but that damned was a major youkai more old than him. Sesshoumaru could be in trouble.it was all her fault! Anna bit her lower lip. She known that Sesshoumaru would not like her intrusion in his fight, but she couldn't leave him alone, after he had saved her. Stop with thoughts: she was ready to take the life of Tetsuya. It was time to show her utility to Sesshoumaru. Anna went to Sesshoumaru's rooms, than followed the two, jumping through the walls while the claws grow over her fingers and her pupils take their demonic light. Sesshoumaru was excited by the battle. He had the opportunity to fight another major youkai. This thing galvanized him. He was near to forget the principle cause of the fight; his aims were show his strength and rub out that annoying reptile from Earth's face. Tetsuya look at him with a superior air, putting his hands over his sides. "Guy, think about your actions.- he said, shacking his head- You aren't even armed, and I know that your dad's sword didn't serve to anything." "Your chit-chats don't interest me." Sesshoumaru said, with a cold smile. Tetsuya sighed. "Well.ok. Since you want to die.I'm ready." Becoming serious, the reptile attacked. The two fought terribly, their speed so fast that a normal human could see only two confusing forms. Their abilities were equal, no-one was able to hurt the other. In that instant, Anna jumped from the last wall, landing on the battle area without looking at the astonished sentinels. "Don't touch him!!" she screamed, running to them and drawing her claws. Sesshoumaru felt her presence. He got distracted and turned to her. "Stay out of it! This doesn't concern you!" he exclaimed, looking at her with full demonic eyes. Anna stopped her steps, uncertain, than she cried when Sesshoumaru was hit on his chest by a claw. Three bloody wounds appeared on his chest, but Sesshoumaru attacked with his fluffy tail, clutching Tetsuya and sending him on the ground hardly. Anna reached Sesshoumaru, that seemed not very affected by his wounds. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she called him, reaching him. "I've said to you don't come, haven't I?" he growled. Anna noticed he was half transformed, but she didn't be intimidated. Instead, she handed to him what she had taken in his rooms. "I've thought it can be an help." she said. Sesshoumaru look at her with surprise, than took Toukijin, the evil sword, from her hands, nodding. Tetsuya raised on his feet, giggling. "I was been tender with you, Sesshoumaru, for respect over your father.- he said- But now I have not impediment! Die with your little witch!" "Don't breath." Sesshoumaru whispered to Anna, understanding the youkai's intentions. In fact, from Tetsuya's body went out a enormous toxic cloud, that spread itself over a big area. Anna was pushed behind by the unexpected violence and immediately the acid assaulted her skin and her eyes, that the youkai girl closed. She couldn't see anything through that green fog, anyway. She heard the muffled screams of the sentinels, while she tried to cover her nose with a sleeve of her dress. She noticed in that moment that Sesshoumaru was no more near her. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she cried, despairingly. The acid attacked her throat, making her cough, but Anna didn't care. Where was he? Whit her heart beating madly in her chest, Anna advanced blindly in the fog. Tetsuya laughed, inside his acid fog, but only him could hear his voice thanks to the muffling power of his cloud. "Poor dear, five minutes here inside and he'll be dried up dead." he giggled. "But in five minutes I can kill you easily, Tetsuya." said a cold voice in front of him. Sesshoumaru appeared at few centimeters from his nose and a terrible pain exploded in his abdomen. "How.have you find me." he gurgled, looking with empty eyes the sword run through his body while the blood went out from his mouth. "In contrary of you,- Sesshoumaru murmured to his ear- I've a refined sense of smell. I can't be distracted by a simply acid cloud." Said this, Sesshoumaru cut off his head from the neck. Tetsuya's body fell at his feet. "I win.- Sesshoumaru thought, wringing Toukijin's hilt in his hand- I've win a youkai just a bit less powerful than my father." In that moment, the effects of the breathed acid started to make affect. His breath stopped in his throat. He felt something hot run away from his nose. "Blood?" he asked to himself, barely seeing the red over his fingers. He fell on his knees. "Crap, it takes effect on me." he hissed. He was in the middle of the cloud, he couldn't go out.His sight was blind. But.who was? Anna? It was Anna that was approaching him? He had said to that stupid wench to stay out of this! She lifted him from the ground. "I'll take you away from here." He heard her words. Yeah, she was surely that fool. Sesshoumaru felt that Anna was attacked by the acid, too. Her movements were slow. "The important thing is that we can escape from this." he thought. He asked to himself why he had used the plural form, when he fell in the oblivion. When he woke up, it was night. He opened his eyes, understanding he was in his bed. The room smelled of acid and medicine. He made a face, trying to raise up, but failing. It was clear that someone had given an antidote to him, and it had partially paralyze his body. In fact, he couldn't sense his legs. He smiled, satisfied. He had killed a powerful youkai. No-one could put in discussion his position as Lord of Western Lands. His deep breath remembered to him another smell in the room. He turned. At his right, curled in a not very comfortable position, Anna slept. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. Why was the youkai girl there? He thought to call Jaken to order to carry her away, but he had an afterthought. His decision to take her with him had started to give fruits. Anna had taken his sword for him. She had enough intelligence and guts. More of all, she had saved him at the cost of her life. It was always a good thing to have someone ready to give his life for his master's one. He smiled. In the girl's hands was been the bowl where she had poured the antidote. She had taken it also for herself, she was surely been attacked by the acid. She had taken care of her master. Good, their agreement worked perfectly. He went on to look at her, he couldn't move, anyway. Of all Tetsuya's long rigmarole done in his home, only one thing was right, and it was about Anna's beauty. Sesshoumaru noticed it only in that instant. Anna was beautiful. He darkened, looking away. It seemed very strange to him that he hadn't ever notice it. He was able to recognize beauty, but he had ever thought only about the functionality of that girl. "And now that you know it?" he asked to himself, murmuring. "Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru turned suddenly, hearing the call. Anna slept still. "Sesshoumaru." she called another time, whispering in her sleep. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. Nobody, in all his life, had called him only by his name, apart his parents and that bastard brother. Everybody revered him as prince of the powerful inu-youkai family, and called him whit the 'sama' after his name. Who didn't do that, died quickly. Sesshoumaru noticed in that moment that his name, simply and clean over Anna's lips, was beautiful. He liked to hear it, he liked to know that she called him in that way when she didn't argue with him with her heard-head. "Why I like it?" asked to the ceiling, that, naturally, didn't reply. He looked at Anna for one moment more. Suddenly, her smell flamed his blood in a strange way. He extended an hand to touch her face.and he noticed that he was near to touch her with his left hand. The hand he hadn't from the time Inuyasha had cut his arm with Tetsusaiga. "What." he said. A full arm was attached from his shoulder. The skin was pale green, but all functioned perfectly. He had a new arm, taken from Tetsuya's body by the inu-youkai's girl who slept near him. Speechless, Sesshoumaru stood, watching Anna's sleep for much time with a satisfied smile over his face. 


	10. Heart of Youkai 10

Author's note: Ses-chan & C. aren't mine.sob.only Anna is ç_ç How I like to write this fic! One problem, I've in my mind many other stories and I haven't time to write them, so I have to write quickly.easy to say, feh.Well, read and enjoy!! PS Guess who appears at the end of this chapter. CHAPTER 10 A TRIP NOT ORGANIZED When Anna woke up, the first thing she felt was a pulsating headache. "Damned swine of a reptile." she said, making a face at the thought of the breathed acid and turning on her back. "You're right, he hadn't any grace." a voice said. Anna opened her eyes and noticed Sesshoumaru, sit over the bed with folded arms. The youkai girl sprang up. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she said, trying to hide her surprise- Are you ok, now?" She cursed herself for falling asleep over the youkai's bed. Sesshoumaru made a strange smile, then nodded. "I've noticed you have started to respect our agreement." was his cold comment. He flexed his new arm, watching it with a critical air. "Maybe, I could thank you.- he added- You have had enough presence of mind, being what you are." Anna made a face. It was impossible for Sesshoumaru thank her really. "You could wake me.- she muttered, trying to leave the bed- I'm sorry, I've occupied space in this way." When she was on her feet, her legs gave out. She became very confused when Sesshoumaru took her in his arms before she could fall. "It's not important, your room is in pieces, anyway, and your presence didn't disturb me.- Sesshoumaru said, ignoring the bright red over her cheeks- I have ordered to prepare a new room for you. Lay down there for today, that two.whoever they are, will look for Rin." Sesshoumaru carried her in his arms till a room at the beginnings of the female quarters. There, he put her in a bed, than went out without a word, cutting out every Anna's thanks. Anna looked at the ceiling with a stunned face. What was all that kindness? Sesshoumaru was all but kind, that way of act was very strange for a person like him. Could it be he had really appreciate her thought about Tetsuya's arm? "He makes me crazy, when he acts like this." she whispered, then she called herself a stupid. If he was cold she became mad, if he was kind she became mad already.but what she really wanted from him? She turned on her side, perplexed. "I don't know what I want." she said to no-one. She corrugated her forehead. "And if I want him, I'm really a fool.- she said to herself- Why should he feel anything for me?" If Anna built some illusion in her mind, all of them were been crushed in that two weeks. In fact, Sesshoumaru disappeared. He didn't call her even to continue their never-ending 'curious chat' or to ask about Rin. Four days after the fight against Tetsuya, Rika said to Anna that the Master had left the castle during the night. "And who cares?" was her laconic comment. Then, she left an astonished Rika with Rin and Misao, walked to the underground dojo and there she trained herself so deeply that she broke every available object. "You don't want even to talk with a creature like me, don't you?- she growled in the meantime- You prefer to go away, don't you?" More Sesshoumaru was far from the castle, more Anna's anger grew, but she didn't admit this. "Now I give you a good trashing.- she thought sometimes, often baffling Rin whit her killer eyes- You make the bad and the good weather only because you are able to read my feelings. Well, my dear, you aren't the only one able to hide them!" She knew perfectly that this was a infringement from their agreement, but Anna was so angry that she didn't care. Naturally, she had to act with caution, hide them step by step, so he could think she was near to lost her humanity. She was sure she could do that. An evening, while Anna was telling a story to Rin to make her fall asleep, the child made a question. "Anna-nee-chan, do you miss Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked. Anna face didn't change much, but she clutched her dress. "Really not, Rin-chan." she answered, with a pretended smile over her face. Why had she to miss that damned one? She was near to break in four pieces for explain to him what is wring and what right, she helped him in the fight, she offered over a silver dish a new powerful arm to him and he went away without a word! Why the hell she had to miss him?! Rin became sad and covered her face in the blanket. "Rin-chan misses Sesshoumaru-sama very much." she whispered. Anna, stunned, caressing her forehead. "Sesshoumaru-sama will return soon, Rin." she said, with a smile. Rin nodded. "It was nice, you know,- she said, with a low voice- travel with him, and more and more when you are arrived, nee-chan. It seemed a beautiful family to Rin." Anna stood in silence. She didn't know how to answer. Rin yawned under the blanket. "Since we are here, all is more cold.- the child said- Sesshoumaru-sama is never with us and you are so sad.and Rin is sad, too." Anna sighed. She didn't believe that the child was so sad about the situation. "Rin-chan." she started, but the child was already asleep. Anna passed an awake night, sitting with her arms around her knees in front of the open window, thinking about the words of Rin. It was true, all that aggressiveness came from the fact that she missed Sesshoumaru. Maybe something terrible was near to become real: she was near to fall in love for him. "Kami-sama." she whispered, hiding her face between her knees. Through all the terrible things happened, that was probably the worst. She didn't have the slightest possibility to enter in the cold heart of Sesshoumaru. If she didn't want to suffer deeply, in the eternity of her immortal life. she had to suffocate that feeling before it could have the time to grow and root in her soul. "I'm really, really a fool." she murmured to the grey sky before the dawn. She stood in that way for much time, her mind very confused, than a sound of steps and a family smell, carrying her on the earth again. "What." she said, before the door of her room was opened with a deed. The figure at the door was Sesshoumaru. "Ses." Anna started, stunned, trying to rise on her feet. "Prepare Rin.- were his words- We make a trip." Sesshoumaru turned and left, leaving Anna fixing the door with astonished eyes. "A trip?!" the youkai girl asked to the empty room. "But.it's beautiful!!!!" Rin exclaimed, with shining eyes. They were in travel since four hours and the morning was near to end. Anna and Rin had fellow Sesshoumaru, that, without a word of explanation, had run to south-est. They had run in perfect silence, while Rin stood in Anna's arms, hiding her face in her shoulder to protect it from the wind. When Sesshoumaru had announced that they were arrived, Anna was too much inside her thought to pay really attention, but Rin exclamation forced her to give a look. "Kami-sama.- she whispered- It's really gorgeous!" They were in a small valley through the hills, a big meadow of tall grass full of flowers and butterflies. A river flew through it, borning from a fall at their right. The sun was high and the sky was perfect blue. It seemed all a big painted landscape. Anna left free Rin, than she looked at Sesshoumaru with a bit of surprise. It seemed very strange the couple of Sesshoumaru and that bright landscape." "How it seems?" Sesshoumaru asked, without looking at her. "It's.- Anna's voice almost broke- it's beautiful, Sesshoumaru-sama." The youkai nodded and walked on, while Rin, laughing happily, tried to catch a butterfly. Anna entered in the valley, still amazed. She felt that in that place Sesshoumaru's smell was strong. She couldn't restrain herself from ask to him if he had spent the last days in that place. "Yes.- he answered- It's a place I know from time. It helps my thoughts." Anna nodded, feeling her hartred slowly fade away, then she reached Rin, that was calling her to play. They stood there much time, the two playing and Sesshoumaru, sit on the grass, looking at them and the sky. Rin made many crowns of flowers and destroyed them alternatively, not satisfied by the result. In the end, she made one of them for her, one blue for Anna and one yellow for Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, this is for you!" Rin said, running to the youkai. Anna sighed, smiling and shaking her head. She didn't really believe that Sesshoumaru could accept such a thing. Before arrive, Rin stumbled and the crown landed over the youkai's head, slant and in a cloud of fallen petals.  
  
In front of the perplexed expression of Sesshoumaru, Rin and Anna couldn't restrain theirself from laugh. "It's so much fun?" Sesshoumaru asked, taking the crown with two fingers and looking at the two like they were crazy. Rin nodded, laughing, and Anna dried a tear. His ice face in contrast with his hair full of petals was exhilarating. Still giggling, Anna reached Sesshoumaru. "Rin-chan, you should make one another.- she said to the child, that went away still laughing- Sesshoumaru-sama, if you want that we stop our laughs, it's better that you leave me to take away those petals." Sesshoumaru gave her a glance, then nodded. That think took some time to Anna, because untie those petals from his beautiful silver hair was not an easy work. Her smile disappeared and her face became melancholy. She liked to touch that beautiful hair.a bit too much, for her mental sanity. She decided to make conversation. "It's all right with your new arm, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked. No answer. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" she called another time. Sesshoumaru returned on the earth with difficulty, coming out from the trance of Anna's fingers through his hair. He didn't let anyone to touch him, so he was not prepare to that feeling. "Well?" he asked, a bit annoyed. Anna shook her head and ended her work. "Nothing, Sesshoumaru-sama." she said, nervous, while she lifted up. Sesshoumaru clutched an hand of her, blocking her. "Sesshoumaru." he said. Anna, amazed, stood unmoving. "My name is Sesshoumaru." he said another time, fixing her in the eyes. He turned, leaving her hand. "Now, end to comb my hair. I don't like half works." he ordered. "I was not combing you.- was her thought- But who am I to contradict you?" "Yes.Sesshoumaru." she answered, sinking her finger in his beautiful silver hair. "Please, please, don't give me hopes." From the sunrise, all became wrong. Big clouds darkened the air, promising rain. "To home." said Sesshoumaru. The three run through the forest, to the castle, but Anna noticed that the air was full of a strange tension. "There's something around us." she said. Sesshoumaru made a cynical grin. "We are followed." he said. "By who?" Anna asked, puzzled. Sesshoumaru didn't answer. Soon, she was able to catch the presence of eight youkais. They were running around the, hide through the trees. "Stop, they have annoyed me enough." Sesshoumaru said, stopping his run. Anna stopped near him, hugging Rin while some dark figures started to came out. "They control me from days, but I didn't think they had the guts to fight me." the inu-youkai said, with superior air. "But who are they?" Anna said another time. "I've not a single idea.- Sesshoumaru replied- I'll ask this to the last, before I'll him. You, carry Rin away from here." Anna turned to Sesshoumaru. "But." she said. The youkai looked at her impatient. "Don't talk with me and carry her away.- he ordered- Here the child is a nuisance." Without wait an answer, Sesshoumaru attacked with a lighting deed the first youkai in front of him. Anna had the temptation to help him, but she closed her eyes and run away with Rin. "What's happening, nee-chan?!" Rin asked, frightened, when two youkai tried to stop them. "Hold me strongly, Rin-chan!" Anna said, sending away the two with a deed and running away from the fight's area, that disappeared behind them. "I must to leave Rin somewhere and return to help him.- Anna thought feverishly, looking in the forest- But where could be a sure place? Where?" "Ehi, who are they, nee-chan?" Rin asked, pointing someone at their right. The speed of her run showed to Anna only two confused figures, but a smell hit them, making her stop. Kami-sama, it was so similar to his! It's possible that he is. She jumped in the point indicated by Rin and found in front of her a youkai and a human girl. The youkai took a defensive posture, unsheathing a huge sword and hiding the girl behind him. "What do you want, wench?" he asked, not very politely. "Bingo!" Anna thought, astonished by all that luck. "Please, listen to me. I need your help." she said, making a step to the two. 


	11. Heart of Youkai 11

Author's note: ^_^ Who could be appeared in this story? Well, it's not very difficult to understand.read, read and review, please!! Oh, and sorry for my errors ^_^;;; CHAPTER 11 AN UNEXPECTED LUCK.OR NOT? He had smelled her from some minutes, but he didn't feel a single aggressive instinct in her, so he had only slow their steps to not meet her. But that youkai girl, after surpass them, had stopped her run and had jumped in front of them. He hadn't a single idea about what that girl could want, but he didn't want to run a risk. Inuyasha hid Kagome behind him and unsheathed Tetsusaiga, brandishing it in the youkai's direction. "What do you want, wench?" he asked with a growl, noticing in her eyes a flash of recognition that he didn't like. Inuyasha was grateful that his human heart was enough to still use his father's sword, in spite of he was now a true youkai. Not all the youkais knew that the Shikon no Tama was disappeared, and sometimes he and the others were attacked. That inu-youkai girl seemed pretty agile, but if she was in search of nuisance, Inuyasha was ready to fight. "Please, listen to me. I need your help." she said, making a step to the two. Inuyasha corrugated his forehead and Kagome put an hand over his shoulder. His Kagome.He could not yet believe that she could live with him forever. "Inuyasha.- murmured the girl- She doesn't seem menacing. We could try to talk with her." "Feh!- replied Inuyasha- Don't leave her enchant you because the child in her arms! That wench has an annoying smell." And it was really annoying! There was something out from the youkai's nature in her, and her smell was also tied to another one's, a smell that got on his nerves. "Who are you?- asked Kagome to the youkai girl, giving a glance of reproof to Inuyasha- What do you want from us?" "Ehi!" protested in vain Inuyasha, when Kagome went on, leaving his protecting area. The youkai girl smiled briefly. "My name is Anna.- she said- And she is Rin." The child greeted with a deed of her hand. "Please, could you take care of this child till my return?" Anna asked, stunning them. "Wha." Inuyasha started. "Take care of the child?- Kagome asked- Why?" Anna bit her lip. She didn't know where to start and every word was a second lost. "For explanations, ask to Rin.- she said, putting the child on her feet- I must to help a person, he is caught in a battle. I can't put Rin in danger, so I would that you take care of her for me." "Who do you think we are, moron?- Inuyasha said, with an hand on his side and the sword over his shoulders- A nursery school?" "Ok, we'll take care of her." Kagome said, with a smile. Inuyasha was near to fall on the ground. "WHAT'S THAT 'WE'LL TAKE CARE OF HER'?!" he screamed, while Kagome took an hand of Rin. The girl turned to Inuyasha with a bright smile. "Oh, please!- she said- She's so cute!" In front of her beautiful smile, Inuyasha capitulated. "Feh! Do what you want!" he muttered, sheathing Tetsusaiga. Anna smiled. "Thank you very much, Kagome and Inuyasha!" she whispered, before disappearing in the forest with a jump. "Not at all!" Kagome said, greeting with Rin. Suddenly, her smile died over her lips. She turned to Inuyasha with a strange expression. "Well?" Inuyasha asked, with folded arms. "How does she know our names?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha and the girl looked at each other in surprise. "Rin-chan, it's better if you tell to us Anna's story." Kagome said. "Sure!- the child said, happily- Rin will tell all the story of Anna-nee- chan!" "That youkai was very strange." muttered Inuyasha, while they sat, ready to listen Rin's story. They have lighted a fire to take away the near night, while they attended Anna's return. "Oh, Anna-nee-chan is a youkai but also a human girl." Rin said with nonchalance, while she ate the food exited from Kagome's bag. "WHHAAAAAAATTTTT?!" Inuyasha screamed, raised on his feet because the surprise. Rin nodded. "Anna-nee-chan was like Rin and Kagome, sometime ago.- she said again- Then, an evil youkai tried to hurt her but she defeated him and took his powers. She has told me all this!" Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other, astonished. "But.it's possible?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha scratched an ear. "Well, I don't know.- he muttered- It's Miroku the expert in these things, but I have thought that her smell was very strange. Maybe, this is the reason." "Rin was happy when Anna enjoyed with us.- the child said with a smile- Anna-nee-chan had helped Rin to find her companions and then she decided to travel with us, because she didn't know how to live as a youkai." "Whit us who, Rin?" Kagome asked. It was evident that the person Anna wanted desperately help was one of their group. "With Rin, Jaken and Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin answered. The child stood one moment, perplex, seeing Kagome and Inuyasha stood in silence with open mouths. "With Se.Ses." sputtered Inuyasha, not able to finish the phrase. "Sesshoumaru?- Kagome said, with an hand over her mouth- But.it's impossible!" "Do you know Sesshoumaru-sama?- Rin asked, enthusiastically- He had saved Rin's life, when the wolves attacked her. He takes care of Rin and leaves her live in his big home." "There must be another Sesshoumaru, it's the only explanation.- Inuyasha said, unbeliever- That bastard can't even look at a human without made an annoyed face." "But, Inuyasha,- Kagome replied- there can't be another inu-youkai with his name in company of another Jaken!" Inuyasha didn't speak. Sesshoumaru hadn't ever act in that way. It's really not possible that his ice-heart brother had saved a child. "Sesshoumaru-sama has taken also Anna-nee-chan.- the child went on- He doesn't stay much with us, but Rin thinks that he likes her because he always listens her words." "Feh! Here, this is the demonstration he's not that damned one!- Inuyasha said, satisfied- He'd kill her, but also if he'd decide to take her in life she could not speech a single word!" "You are similar to Sesshoumaru-sama!- Rin said, smiling-You have the same hair and eyes. But he doesn't have those kawaii ears!" Laughing, Rin went on the back of Inuyasha, scratching his ears, but the youkai was too much caught in his thought to tell her to stop. Kagome look at him, worried. "This Sesshoumaru hasn't an arm, right?" Inuyasha asked, briefly. "Yes, once,- Rin answered, stopping her torture to the poor youkai- but now Anna has given another one to him." "This is an irrefutable proof, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered. Inuyasha nodded but didn't speak. Late in the night, when Rin laid asleep under a Kagome's blanket, the girl want near the silent youkai and sat at his side. "What are you thinking?" she whispered, landing her head over his shoulder. Inuyasha, with a dark face, sighed, but passed an arm around her shoulders, hugging her. "This story hasn't a sense.- Inuyasha said- Sesshoumaru isn't.bah, you know him too. He is cold and cruel. He hasn't a bit of heart. I can't understand his actions." "Maybe he is becoming similar to you." Kagome joked to make him easy, but he only smiled briefly. Kagome sighed and started to scratch lightly an Inuyasha's ear, that showed his pleasure approaching his head to hers. "Maybe, he is changing.- Kagome went on- After all, you have the same blood in your veins. It's abnormal your diversity. Probably, Sesshoumaru needs someone that show him how to feel." "Who hasn't heart, can't feel anything." Inuyasha growled. Kagome corrugated her forehead. "Aren't you happy if he changes?" she asked, after some moments. Inuyasha snorted. "Feh! He doesn't ever change!- he replied, acid- He is always been a bastard, his only entertainment is hurt peoples. I'm sure the two will have to regret about have faith in Sesshoumaru." Kagome pushed deeply her face in Inuyasha's chest, smiling. "I like you when you care about peoples." she said. Inuyasha couldn't restrain himself from blush and Kagome giggled. "By the way, I can't see a reason of use in this child.- the girl said- I think that he had saved her only because he wanted her alive. It's a good thing, isn't it?" "And the girl?- Inuyasha said- I'm sure he takes her by his side only to fight for him!" "Don't desire the moon, Inuyasha!- Kagome replied- Probably it's true, but I don't think Anna stays near him only because their agreement." "What are you saying?" Inuyasha asked, confused. Kagome went out from his arms. "Haven't you noticed her worried eyes when she was talking about the person to save?" she asked. Inuyasha shook his head. Kagome sighed. "I think that that youkai is in love with Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha' jaw suffered suddenly of a strong gravitational force. "WHA.." he started to scream, before Kagome threw herself on him, pushing her hands over his mouth. "Sshhhhh!!!!! You'll wake the child!" Kagome groaned. "What are you saying?!" Inuyasha said, in a more low tone. "That I think she is in love with." Kagome started again. "Nobody can love such a monster! And, in every case, it's a self-injurer feeling!" Inuyasha said, sitting with folded arms and an hardhead, disgusted face. Kagome didn't replied. After a while, Inuyasha said: "It was that the irritant smell I sniffed before on her. The smell of Sesshoumaru. They must be near for some times." "Maybe he feels something for her, too.- Kagome said, hugging him- She could change him, couldn't she?" "He'll not change." Inuyasha said, shaking his head. Kagome look at him with sadness. Inuyasha didn't admit it, but he surely had wanted a true brother instead a bloody youkai on his tracks because he wanted to kill him. This thing must to grave over his soul. Inuyasha had started to tell her about her past, but he didn't speak about Sesshoumaru at all. They were in travel from a while, because Inuyasha desired to see another time his father's Palace, hoping Sesshoumaru wasn't in home. For what she knew, the youkai had ever tried to kill Inuyasha every time they had met each other. But they had the same blood in their veins. Why Sesshoumaru hated Inuyasha so much? "He can't change." Inuyasha whispered another time. The two stood in silence, embraced. Anna killed the last youkai, than turned to Sesshoumaru. In that moment, the youkai was taking an enemy for his neck, blocking him against a tree. Anna was secretly happy to have taken the decision to return. Sesshoumaru could done all by himself, but the youkais was enjoyed by many reinforcements and it was in their agreement that she had to fight for him. Sesshoumaru hadn't a single little scratch and now he was questioning the last survivor of that slaughter. Anna took of her eyes from the sight of the bloody corps all around. Luckily, Rin was not there. She turned, seeing the head of the youkai roll away. Sesshoumaru cleaned his hand over the tree. "Who have send them?" Anna asked. "He didn't know.- Sesshoumaru answered- They were only a warning. Someone has the intention to challenge me. I only hope he does all quickly, I'll happy to fight him." He noticed in that moment that Anna had not to stay there. "Where's Rin?" he said, with cold eyes. Anna made a nervous smile. "In a sure place, don't worry.- she said- I've thought my help could serve to you." Sesshoumaru nodded, giving her his back. The new confidential tone of the girl made him feel strange. "Ok.- he said- We'll go to take her and then we'll returned to the Palace." "No!" Anna exclaimed, making him turn. Anna bit her lips. "Ehm, no, Sesshoumaru. I'll go alone. You can precede us." "I've said: WE'll go to take her then WE'll return to the Palace." the youkai said another time, looking at her with suspicious eyes. Anna cursed. It was really better not favorite the meet of the two brothers, or they could say farewell to the return to the Palace. "Be faithful, it's better I'll go alone." she muttered. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. All that started to be annoying. "Where have you left her? In a human's village?- he asked- I'll not exterminate them, if it's your fear." "No, I." Anna started. "Where have you left her?!" Sesshoumaru asked with an imperious tone. Anna swallowed, nervous. Hell, she couldn't turning around it forever! "I've met your brother Inuyasha, and." she said. Sesshoumaru clutched her by the shoulders with a sudden deed. "My.brother?- Sesshoumaru asked with a not very reassuring hiss- You have left her with that half-breed?!" "She is sure with him.- Anna said, angry- Now I'll go to take her and we can close the question." "He can't dare to touch what is my property." Sesshoumaru said, hurting her with his grip. Than he left her and made a jump, disappearing in the forest in the direction from Anna was arrived. "SESSHOUMARU!!!" she called him, running behind the youkai. Chikuso! She started to think that meet Inuyasha and Kagome wasn't a real luck. 


	12. Heart of Youkai 12

Author's note: Wow, I've in my mind another fic about Inuyasha!! But you'll have to wait that this finish ( ten chapter, more or less.). Please, go on to send reviews, your comments make me ready to write in my free evenings!  
  
CHAPTER 12 ONLY A SWORD A female voice took its way in the asleep mind of Kagome. She opened her eyes with difficulty, noticing she was on the ground near the campfire. She sat suddenly when she saw that Inuyasha was not at her side. He was on his feet, nervous, his sword already unsheathed, and gave her his back. "Sesshoumaru!!" echoed in the forest. Could it be.Anna? "Inuyasha." said Kagome. "He's coming.- Inuyasha said without turning- Go away with the child." "But." Kagome tried to reply. "Take her away." Inuyasha said another time. Kagome nodded and took Rin in her arms, running at few meters of distance from hi, in the trees. In that moment, a speedy white figure came out from the trees and attacked Inuyasha, who jumped back and tried to hit it with the sword, but the other avoided it. All this happened madly quick, so Kagome was able to understand that all the attacks had failed only when she saw the two brothers look at each other with hartred without a visible scratch. Sesshoumaru looked at his brother with critical eyes, with folded arms, while Inuyasha branded the sword through them with a dark face. "You are become more quick.- Sesshoumaru said, without much enthusiasm- Fight with you, now, could be more interesting." "Feh! I'll defeat you, more easily than in the past." Inuyasha replied with a ferocious grin on his face. "We'll make a test, brother dear." Sesshoumaru murmured, tightening his eyes. In that instant, Anna jumped out from the forest. ".but I've the misfortune of meet you only because Anna and Rin. Now, give me the child." he ended. Anna approached Kagome and Rin, who was still asleep. "Look! The child is ok!- Anna said, showing Rin to Sesshoumaru with a bit of anger in her voice- Leave alone your brother!" Sesshoumaru felt grow in his body the contrariety. Why did Anna take the part of that fool being that she didn't even know? He hated that moron with that dog ears also because that. He remembered very well that their father liked Inuyasha better than him, that bastard half-breed occupied in their father's heart a place that the heir could never hope. And now Anna, who was HIS and depending from him, dared to contradict him and take Inuyasha's part?! "Shut up." he said, coldly. A red flash lighted his eyes for one moment. Inuyasha laughed with sarcasm, reacting with evilness now that he had finally the power to fight Sesshoumaru all square. He was tired to be the object of his brother's sarcasm, that iceberg able to kill and make his life an hell only. "Oh, I didn't know you've found a girlfriend, Sesshoumaru!- he said, provoking him- I notice you are on the earth of everyone, now! You have stopped to oblige everyone to revere you as Prince of Inu-youkais! Follow her advice, you'll be better." "Inuyasha!!" Kagome said, noticing with worry Anna and Sesshoumaru's reactions. She understood Inuyasha's hate, but he was gone too far. The tension around Sesshoumaru was frightening. Anna was deadly pale. Sesshoumaru attacked without warning, unsheathing Toukijin. The two sword met each other with a terrible clang, while Inuyasha took a step back because the violence of the attack. "I'm not the same!!" Inuyasha cried, attacking his brother. Sesshoumaru admitted to himself that Inuyasha's movements were more difficult to foresee. They were like his in a strong way. He avoided two other attacks. But Sesshoumaru knew perfectly his possibility. Inuyasha not yet. He couldn't lose. He mimed a new attack with the sword, pointing in reality to the hand Inuyasha used to took Tetsusaiga.He hit Inuyasha's hand with an incredible strength, making the sword fall, than grabbed him by his neck. "Were you sure to be better than me?- Sesshoumaru said- You'll be forever an inferior being!" "Urgh!!" growled Inuyasha, while he tried to free himself from the iron clutch of Sesshoumaru. His brother's poison had already attacked his skin. "NO! INUYASHA!" Kagome cried, scared, while Rin awakened. The child looked at the scene with horror, than hugged Anna, terrified. Anna cursed. She didn't want that Rin could see the worst personality of Sesshoumaru. "Stop!!" Anna screamed, before Inuyasha hit Sesshoumaru's face with much violence, freeing himself from his hands and making the surprised youkai fly against a tree. Sesshoumaru raised on his feet with an amused air, caressing his hurt face with one hand, while Inuyasha made the same with his neck. "Not too bad, little brother." Sesshoumaru murmured. "Come here, there's something more." Inuyasha growled, making a deed of invitation. Kagome chose that that thing was during too much. She grabbed his bow and prepared herself to fire an arrow to Sesshoumaru, but Anna stopped her. "Please, no!- she whispered- I don't want that the child see this!" "But if we don't stop them." Kagome said. In that moment, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha started to fight again. "Leave them to me.- Anna said, with a pressing tone- Please, don't fire your arrow." Kagome tried to reply, then she saw the strength of the feeling firing in the youkai girl's eyes and nodded. Anna smiled briefly, thanking her, than turned and hit Rin slightly on the back of the neck. The child fainted. "It's better you can't see from now on, Rin." Anna whispered, leaving the child to Kagome and jumping through the two fighters. Neither Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha had the time to understand she was so near, caught in their personal fight, and this made her actions easy. Anna threw herself against Sesshoumaru with violence, hitting him and making him fall away from Inuyasha, that hit her instead of his brother. "You?!- Inuyasha exclaimed, in panic because he had hit a girl- But what." Sesshoumaru was so astonished because Anna had hit him that stood sit in silence. He didn't know if it was a new surprise when Anna clutched Inuyasha's shoulder and started to take his life's energy. Inuyasha fell on a knee and Kagome cried. "Anna, what are you doing?!" she said, covering her mouth with her hands, horrified. Anna was taking his life! In that instant, the youkai girl left Inuyasha, that stood on his knees. "I hope.- Anna said, panting because the great energy assimilated- hope that you have no more desire on fight." Inuyasha looked at her with a so perplex expression that Anna was forced to look away. She didn't like what she had done, but with the good manners she could not stop that two hardheads. Sesshoumaru went to her. Inuyasha tried to raise on his feet, but he failed. That 'Anna girl' had taken too much energies from him and he needed some time to restore his strength. "Hell, I can't fight." he thought, preparing himself to the attack of that two. But, in front of him, Sesshoumaru hit Anna's face with violence. The girl fell on the ground without a sound. "Don't dare." Sesshoumaru said, squeezing his hands in two fists. The indignation that trembled in his voice was frightening. "Don't ever dare to hit me!!" he said. Inuyasha stood, astonished, and so Kagome. They hadn't ever seen Sesshoumaru lost his control. "I knew it.- Inuyasha thought- I knew that he could only hurt her. My brother his a bastard moron and she is only a fool." In spite of this thought, he couldn't restrain himself to feel pity for that scene. "You are mine! Your value is equal to a sword's one, if not less!- Sesshoumaru said again, clutching Anna's kimono and making her face turn to look at him- I don't tolerate that you." He stopped when he saw the absent expression over Anna's face. There wasn't a single emotion on her face, not a trace. She didn't cry, she didn't have an hurt face. His word had the intent to hurt her deeply, but it seemed that she was devoid of any feeling. He left her that gave her his back. He could feel the eyes of Inuyasha and his human mate on him. How could he have lose his control in such a way?! "Go away.- he said, coldly- Carry Rin to the castle." Anna get up from the ground and walked to Rin and Kagome. "As you wish, Sesshoumaru-SAMA." she said, with a total unexpressive voice. Inuyasha was the only one that could notice his brother paling at this words. Anna kneeled near Kagome and took Rin from her arms. Kagome saw that a cheek of the girl was swollen and an eye was closed. But the thing most scary was her deadly cold face. "Anna." Kagome murmured, uncertain. Anna made a smile that made her shiver. There was nothing inside that smile. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault.- Anna whispered- I wanted to know you in other circumstances." She walked away in the trees, disappearing to the sight. The three stood in silence, that Sesshoumaru gave his back to Inuyasha and started to walk away. "You are a fool." Inuyasha's voice made him turn. His brother was almost on his feet, thank to the help of her human woman. "Leave me alone, Inuyasha, it's better.- Sesshoumaru said- I'm not in a mood enough good to listen your chit-chats. Thanks that I've not intention to fight again." "It's always the same, isn't it?- Inuyasha went on, undaunted- When you find something precious, you destroy it. When you'll understand that you are alone, what will you do, Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru darkened. "In my imperfection, I've understood my error in sending away the other peoples.- Inuyasha exclaimed- Now I'm happy! Can you say the same?" Sesshoumaru made an angry and disgusted face. "You and your foolish human thoughts.- he hissed- Cursed the day I've started to listen!" Sesshoumaru turned and went away, leaving Inuyasha and Kagome alone. Kagome hugged Inuyasha, her face in his chest. "Ehi, Kagome." Inuyasha said, caressing her hair. "You are right. He'll never change." Kagome said, her voice muffled in the haori. Inuyasha sighed. "Maybe, he's changing right now.- he murmured- But I don't know if she'll resist enough to make the miracle." Sesshoumaru passed the entire night in the forest. She had revolt against him. She had saved the life of that moron of his brother. She had hit him to constrict him to stop the fight. Unforgivable. UNFORGIVABLE! He had done the best thing hitting her. She got on too much well. Nobody could disobey to the great Sesshoumaru without pay with life. She had taken only a punch on her face. Her face. Her beautiful face. Her beautiful face, hurt and without feeling. He raised the hand he had used to hit her. A simply punch on her face, no more. He had taken the same from Inuyasha some instant before, and now he couldn't sense any pain, so. But what was he doing? Was he try to justify his actions?! He had hit her, and stop. She deserved it. But she had called him Sesshoumaru-sama, another time. There was hate in her voice. No, there was nothing. Was she angry with him because he had hit her? Or because he had said she was only a sword? Well, it was the truth, and Truth didn't need justifications. But there wasn't resentment in her voice. There was really nothing. Probably, it was another emotional block. "When it passed by, I'll feel her hartred for me." he whispered unconsciously. And then? He had the habit to be hated and feared, his life was grounded on this. "My name is Sesshoumaru." Her fingers were so delicate through his hair. How was beautiful his name over her lips. "I'll obliged her to call me by my name." he said to the night, but he knew that in that way his name had had a poisoned sound. The face he had hit.once he had the temptation to caress it. How could it be to do it? More satisfactory than hit it? Hell, he thought yes. " When you find something precious, you destroy it." had said that fool Inuyasha. Well, was so precious a fool female that had dared to hit his master? "When you'll understand that you are alone, what will you do, Sesshoumaru?" He was always been alone. It was good. "She'll go away." The thought run through his mind as a painful flash. "And where?- he said, cynical- Why had she do that?" But he knew that was the truth. She was near to go away. " When you find something precious, you destroy it." "I don't care if she would go away." he said. But he cared. He didn't want that she left the Palace. He had habit with her presence, it was interesting to talk with her, when he was in a enough good mood. "She'll remain." he said. But probably she was already far away. "I'll not let her go." he said again. "And how, will you hit her again?" asked a sarcastic voice in his mind. Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes on his hand. Hit her had fill him of a strange feeling of uneasiness. It was never happened. He had always hit and kill without a single thought. "I don't want to hit her again." he whispered. "In this way, you can't stop her.- that voice said again- Why do you want her near you?" Because it was interesting to argue with her. Because he liked to listen her songs. Because she smiled at him. Because she dreamed about him and called him by his name. Because he liked all those things and he didn't know why, yet. "I'll not let her go." he said. He left the tree he was sit on and run with a great speed to his home. ************* "Anna!" he called her, entering with fury in the girl's room. The girl wasn't there. Sesshoumaru turned. Her smell came from his rooms. "Anna!" he called again, in the big room he used to dine. Nothing. Go on. "ANNA!" he cried, slamming a door. He heard the servants whisper over the strange ways of their Master. He opened the door of the Big Hall. She was there, sit and in wait of him. "Sesshoumaru-sama." she greeted with a head's deed. Sesshoumaru stopped. "Ah, you are here.- he said, coldly- Is Rin in her room?" "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." she answered, as cold as him. Sesshoumaru hid an annoyed deed. "Stop call me in this way!" he thought. "Well, you can go.- he said, turning to the door- We'll talk tomorrow about your actions of tonight." He walked again to his rooms. It was better put his thoughts in order before act strange. The most important thing was that she was still there, so he could understand. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I prefer to talk now." Anna's voice made him turn. "Why?" he asked. The youkai girl's face was still empty of feelings, and the sign of Sesshoumaru's hand over her cheek was almost disappeared. He suddenly understood how he appeared to the eyes of the others. A cold thing without life. Anna lowered her eyes, like she was searching the right words, than she sighed. "Because, Sesshoumaru-sama, I'll return to my home tomorrow." 


	13. Heart of Youkai 13

Author's note: I'm ill!! Could this be because the curses from Anna and Sesshoumaru? I'll try to write more quickly, or you'll kill me for sure (I'd kill myself if chapters will end like they'll end without a sequel if not after a week.)! Read and review!!  
  
CHAPTER 13 WHY I AM HERE Rin gave a glance to Anna's movements with a sad face. Her Anna-nee-chan was near to go away. The youkai girl was controlling she had not forgot anything. Rin felt a grip over his heart. She didn't know what could be the thing that was pushing Anna away from her. She didn't even believe it, when Anna, that morning, had told to her she would try to return at home. Rin, with a big smile, had asked when she was thinking to return. She knew that, like Sesshoumaru-sama, Anna could run very fast, so, wherever was Anna-nee-chan's home, she would be surely near her soon. But Anna had sighed, a sigh she didn't like very much, than she told to her of the place she came from. A place so far she didn't imagine. "If I'll be able to return, I don't think it could be easy to return in this world, Rin-chan.- Anna had said- I would bring you with me, but I don't think it's right to constrict you in a strange world like that.. Please, forgive me, but it's really time. I have to go." Rin had cried, had pried her; Anna was irremovable, but not dry and she had calm her patiently. Now she had put in a bag the essential for the trip. In a half of an hour she'd left the Palace. Rin gave a look to Misao and Rika, sit in a corner with sad faces. Why not even the adults tried to stop her?! It was so beautiful, the day before! Rin was so happy, seeing Anna-nee-chan and Sesshoumaru-sama side by side, she believed her dreams could become true! But that night something was happened. Rin could feel it inside. She didn't remember much, she knew only that Sesshoumaru-sama was in fight with that youkai with kawaii ears that was no similar to him. Anna and Kagome cried.than she had fainted. Since they were returned Anna's eyes were strange. They seemed.empty. Jaken didn't want to tell her anything, but Rin was thinking he didn't know, as she didn't, what was happened. "No-one.does no-one help Rin to stop her?" she thought, closing her eyes and clutching her fists. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin raised on her feet and run outside the room. Anna followed her with her eyes. "Please, forgive me, Rin-chan." she whispered. Rin run madly through the corridors, trying to not slide, than entered into Sesshoumaru's rooms. "Sesshoumaru-sama!- she cried, seeing him in contemplation of the garden outside the window- Sesshoumaru -sama, stop Anna-nee-chan!" Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes over the upset child, who looked at him with imploring eyes. He caressed lightly her hair. Sesshoumaru knew that his words could not stop Anna. He couldn't say it to the child, it was pretty difficulty to absorb this fact in his mind for itself. He had had a single chance to ask her to remain, and he had lost it. Yeah, because he should had to ASK. Maybe, APOLOGIZE. Things inconceivable for him. So, when she had had voice to his worst thoughts, telling she had decided to go away, everything was exited from his mouth was: "Do what you want." And she was doing what she wanted, no doubt about it. "If she wishes to return at home, well she can go." he said, stopping to caress her hear and turning another time to the window. "Don't act so!- Rin screamed, crying- Rin is sure you'll miss Anna-nee- chan! Why don't you stop her?! If you have had an argue, you two should ask for peace!" Sesshoumaru made a face. What did Rin know? He didn't answer. "At least.- sighed the child- At last you may ask her to return." Sesshoumaru felt a strange feeling in his chest. He didn't like to see Rin so hurt. For that, he didn't like either that Anna had decoded to go away. "Well, she could maybe return.yes." he murmured. Suddenly, Rin turned and run away. Sesshoumaru darkened. No. He would never ask her anything. That damned hardheaded female could do what she wanted, at least his life would stopped to be so complicated. Later, Anna was outside the Palace. All the servants not occupied was there to say her farewell, Rika and Misao on the head. Only Sesshoumaru and Jaken weren't there, obviously. Anna greeted everyone with a smile, in spite of her heart was so cold. When it was the time to say goodbye to Rin, the things became more hurting for her, too. She hugged the child, who was still crying, and recommended to her about smile often and act right with Misao and Rika. "He.he has said to return, nee-chan." Rin whispered to her ear. Anna looked at her with a strange expression. Rin sighed. "Sesshoumaru-sama.has said to return." Into Anna's eyes passed something Rin didn't recognize, than Anna left her go. She said farewell to everyone another time, then she noticed Sesshoumaru's presence; he was looking at her from a balcony. Her face became hard like marble, as cold as his own, then she gave him her back. He didn't want to look at his face anymore, after what he had done to her. Return? She wished only to put much distance through her and that bastard! "I was falling in love for him." she thought, with anger, before start to run away, leaving the Palace of the Lord of Western Lands. Sesshoumaru followed her with his eyes till he could, than he heard a giggle. "Finally she is gone, Sesshoumaru-sama.- giggled Jaken, satisfied- She was a nuisance. If we are lucky, we'll not see her face anymore!" Sesshoumaru hit Jaken with a so strong kick that the toad flied on the other side of the corridor. He gave a terrible glance to the little youkai, who was opened mouth, terrified. "If Anna will not return, Jaken,- Sesshoumaru said, turning- I'll kill you. Really." ** Anna passed some days reaching the forest she was when she was appeared in that world, but less than when she had traveled with the others. She run as quick as possible, without turning back. The thought of Sesshoumaru tormenting her, but she was trying to hide and suffocate it. She avoided the places they had used to fight like the plague. The picture of he hitting her, treating her like an object, tormenting her night and day. What a fool she was! She had left him hypnotize her, and then he had hurt her deeply. She had had to know that Sesshoumaru could not really.really. "Stop!" she growled, killing the thought before it could finish and running faster. She was near. Maybe two hours of run. No one had attacked her. Her angry aura had taken distant youkais and humans. The first thing she saw was the lake. She stopped on the ceiling, looking around with a dark face. There, she had met Sesshoumaru, the night she was became a youkai. She sang to the moon, crying her sadness for her impossibility to return to home, for the life she had lost. Some hours later, she had lost also her humanity. "If only I'd never meet you, you damned." she hissed, corrugating her forehead. She heard a scream. She turned, annoyed, sniffing human's smell. The village was near and two women was reaching the lake, when they had saw her. Anna looked at them with a uncaring face, passing an hand over her golden tail of hair. One of them was Haneko, that fool. "Youkai.youkai." she continued to repeat, stunned for the fear. "Humans, weakly and pathetic." Anna started to muttered, before bite her tongue. They seemed Sesshoumaru's words. The anger fill her again and Anna jumped away, passing like a light near the two women and made for the deep forest. ** Anna landed against a tree, clutching her fists and biting a lip in frustration. She had passed a night and a day searching a hole, a tear in time-space, the thing, in brief, had sent her in the Sengoku Jidai. Nothing. Not even her sense of smell had helped her. "I can't be arrived here from nowhere." she growled, fixing with anger the vegetation. It was the sunset. They were some nights she didn't sleep and the anger was consuming her energies. Then, she felt something. She turned to her left, in a defensive position. Through the trees someone lighting of silver was hide. "Who are you?" Anna asked. She couldn't sense any smell from that creature. "You can't return to your home in this way." that said, with a nice and deep voice. Anna made a face. "You know me, because you know what I'm searching.- she said, without relax a single finger- Tell me your name." The creature, whoever he was, stood in silence for some instants. "You can't return.- said to her- You are a youkai, you can't live with humans anymore. They will exclude you, or they condemn you. You are different. Don't you like enough to live here? You're not a human anymore." Anna made a glacial smile. "It's futile that you tell me.- she said, before throw herself against the creature- THINGS THAT I ALREADY KNOW!!!" Anna hit only the ground, digging a deep pit, while the creature jumped at her back, more distant. Anna turned, sure to relieve her feelings over that rash creature, but what she saw stopped her. A being, that was very similar to an inu-youkai, looked at her with a solemn and sad air, with folded arms. Silver hair combed in a tail flied at his back. His amber eyes were focused on her with a serious expression. His face showed thirty years, more or less, and had three irregular signs of a brilliant red, two over the cheeks and one in the middle of his forehead. He wore a big armour and over a shoulder there was a red tail. The most impressive thing was that Anna could see the trees behind him. "A.ghost?" she whispered, speechless. He nodded. "I'm Inuken. Am I similar to anyone?" he asked, with a little smile, noticing the inquiring look of Anna. The girl stood. Hell, that ghost seemed just like.he's very similar to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha! He seemed a cocktail of the two. Like he had heard her, he nodded. "Yes, it's so.- he said- I'm the father of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. I'm the one who has carried you here. You should be a present to my son Sesshoumaru." Anna felt her legs shiver. She sat on the ground, without leaving the ghost with her eyes. "The father of.oh, Kami-sama.- she thought, distressed- And he is who has carried me here! I've the entire family against me!" "I'm sorry, I've involved you in this." the ghost started. Anna's surprise disappeared and she showed her fangs in a angry face. "You are.sorry?!- she hissed- You've kidnapped me from my world! What are your reasons?! I want to return to my own home!" "I've made it for a very precise reason.- the youkai stopped her, with a very authoritative voice- I ask to you, please, listen to me without discuss, because every minute I stand here I can't stand with my loved bride." "No one has ask you to do it." Anna said, not very politely. The ghost sighed deeply. "I'll carry you in your world again, if you'll wish it still after I'll show you what I must. I would you return to Sesshoumaru, because my heir has a big need of you." he said. Anna raised on her feet with a sarcastic face. "You'll understand many things about him and about his rash ways.- he said- Please, give me the chance to show you something." "It seems I've no choice.- she said, cynical- You all have the bad habit to put peoples with their back to the wall." "Anna. Please." the ghost said, holding out an hand. Anna darkened. "Show me what you want.- she said, coming on- But I'll not change my mind." The youkai smiled. The world span around her and suddenly Anna was in a place she knew very well. "The Palace?- Anna asked, looking around- Have you carried me here already?" She and Sesshoumaru's father were inside the second garden. "Not exactly the same Palace." the inu-youkai said. Anna heard a child's laugh and turned her eyes. She saw two child. One was a human boy, who laughed happily. The other was a youkai child with silver hair cut on his shoulders. The human boy was running, the other waited he was enough far, than reached him with a jump. The boy pretend to be frightened and run again, laughing. "He's.Sesshoumaru?" Anna asked. The inu-youkai nodded. The youkai child didn't laugh but over his face there was a little smile. Anna shook her head. She had never imagined that that 'you humans, inferior beings' had ever had a mortal friend. "I'd gave to him a companion.- the inu-youkai whispered- I was never at home. Sesshoumaru's mother was a wild youkai who died after his birth in a fight. I thought he needed a company. I made a mistake to give to him a human." "Why?" Anna asked. Suddenly, they were in a bedroom. Anna covered her nose with a face. The room was full of death's awful smell. "Because humans die." the inu-youkai murmured. Sesshoumaru was at his friend's side. The boy was dead from days. The amber eyes of the child were fixed on the decomposed face of his friend. His lips repeated: "I'm lonely.I'm lonely.I'm lonely." "Kami-sama." Anna whispered, affected. The ghost turned is eyes. "I returned only after four years. I was in China and I had completely forgot the son I had.- he said- When I returned, Sesshoumaru despised so much human's weak that he wouldn't even heard their name. If he met one of them, he killed him immediately. He wanted to prove his strength, the youkai strength that was able to defeat even the death." "Forgetting the pain." Anna said, with an empty voice. The inu-youkai nodded. "It was my fault.- he said- As what happened later." The scene changed another time. They were in front of the Big Hall's door. The door was locked. Sesshoumaru, a boy, was sit near it, the glacial typical expression over his face. "What's happening?" Anna asked. "In this day, I showed Sesshoumaru as my heir to the other members of our race.- the inu-youkai answered- They couldn't restrain their tongues." "You have the intention to leave to that weak sparrow the power?" grumbled a voice inside. "Weak sparrow." Sesshoumaru repeated, unexpressive. "I haven't other sons." the voice of the inu-youkai lord said. Anna couldn't restrain herself to gave a firing glance to the ghost near her. "Bah, he seems a milksop! It's so delicate and placid!" another said. All the persons inside laughed. "A.milksop?" Sesshoumaru said, caressing his beautiful face with one hand. He made a strange smile, than he jumped away. "He returned two hours later entering with violence in the Hall, putting on the table the stomach of ten youkais he had killed outside the castle." Inuken told. He sighed deeply. "He tried to be the hair I'd wanted. Strong, decided, cold. It was the only way to have my attention." Anna didn't speak, preferring not say her opinion. Inuken smiled weakly. "Maybe I wasn't prepared to be a father.- he said- But it's not a justification. I did many errors with him, like prefer Inuyasha to him in that way." "The son from your second bride." Anna murmured. She had ever suspected. The ghost nodded. "I loved his mother with all my heart. I'd never felt a feeling so deeply.- he said, lost in remembers- Sesshoumaru never forgave me for my choice, and for have done a child with her. If he was sure in his appointment as my heir, all was mined by that new pup. Sesshoumaru hated him immediately. I understood they had to remain at a big distance one from the other, but this done a worst effect." Around the two fell silence. "Than, I saw my death." he said. "You knew that." Anna exclaimed. Inuken nodded. "I said to Totousai to make the two swords now my sons have on their side, then I retired myself in meditation to understand what sword was right for what son.- the ghost told- I saw Inuyasha save many lives with the death's sword, and decided Tetsusaiga would be his. Then.I saw Tenseiga gave back feelings to Sesshoumaru's heart, with a child and a woman. The decision was taken." "But Sesshoumaru didn't appreciate it much." Anna said. Inuken smiled weakly. "Well, no. You know everything, from now on.- he said- I've search you through time and space, to give you the mission to give back feeling to my son's heart. It's only way I have to expiate my errors. Please, don't desert him." "I've no intention to return!- Anna growled- Sesshoumaru have had his chances to change but he have wasted them all. I'm sure he's happy, now that I'm not near him anymore!" "Oh, do you think so?" Inuken asked. He raised one hand and a vision appeared in the air. Sesshoumaru looked at her while she was going away. Jaken made a fool comment and Sesshoumaru threw him on the other side of the corridor with one kick. "If Anna will not return, Jaken, I'll kill you. Really." The vision disappeared. Inuken turned to Anna, who was in a dark silence. "Why me?" the girl asked. "Because you soul can touch his one." Inuken answered. Anna didn't replied. "Think about it till tomorrow morning.- he said, while around them was appearing again the forest- If you'll ask me again to return to your home, I'll do it for you. But, please, think about it." Anna didn't answered. Inuken greeted her with a deed and disappeared, leaving her alone. When he returned, in the morning, Anna wasn't there anymore. 


	14. Heart of Youkai 14

Author's note: How a fatigue find a past for Sesshoumaru.and now what will happen? Will Anna return to Sesshoumaru? Will he want her near him again or not? Will we have an happy ending (this have few possibilities ^^;;;)? The only way to know is.read!!!! CHAPTER 14 A NEW PROBLEM It was the end of June. The vegetation was an explosion of life and over a meadow particularly, from where one could see a beautiful castle surrounded by three gardens, if he's not a human, flowers and butterflies colored of a shining rainbow the earth. Whoever had looked from the high, could notice a special butterfly, really big, mantling of gold and blue an area of the meadow. That butterfly was, in reality, a youkai named Anna, a very perplexed youkai, in that moment. Anna was lying down, with the blue dress and her golden hair around her, while she looked at the sky through the fly of the insect. Theoretically, she was returning to Sesshoumaru's Palace. Practically, she had passed the entire morning lying down on the meadow thinking deeply. To know Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father had confused her. To see the facts that had carried an introverted boy like Sesshoumaru to become the cold and bloody youkai he was now, had mined another time her hartred and her wish to return to home. She sighed, with her hands behind her head. Futile turn around it. Against her will, in spite of the way he had treated her, in spite of he had dared to hit her ( and here she couldn't settle, he had DARED), Anna loved without hope the soul sometimes showed itself in the beautiful amber eyes of Sesshoumaru. What was hide behind the terrible armour Sesshoumaru had built around him in the years, was so beautiful and fragile that she couldn't think about it without feel the need to cry and hug him. Ah, what a fool! She blushed and curled on a side. Inuken had done well his calculations. He was a powerful youkai with a fine mind for the other's feelings, trait he hadn't passed to his sons. Inuken had said she could touch his soul. Anna wished to try with all her heart. So, she had left the forest and had returned to the castle. Now that she was near, she was full of doubt. In spite of she had decided to retry, she wasn't so stupid to want to put herself totally in Sesshoumaru's hands, provided that she wanted really to see her again, like had showed the vision from Inuken. It was necessary, from now on, hide her feelings, using the capacity she had find in her from the day he had hit her. It was surely out of their pact, but Anna didn't care anymore. The agreement, for her, was broken that night she had decided to go away. It was right she was the one who take the situation in her hand, from now on. If he cared only a bit, Sesshoumaru would be able to notice that thing was caused by his actions. Maybe he would try to remedy, and in this way show that he cared.maybe. "Ah, stop that, Anna! You seems a girl with a crush!" she said to herself, annoyed. Kami-sama, she had a need so intense to see him. Stay there mumbling about it would not resolve the problem. Better move and face him. She sat suddenly and from the up of the meadow came a woman's scream. "A human?" Anna murmured, smelling faintly her smell through the flower's one and turning. At the top of the slope there was a girl with black hair shining at the sunlight, who wore what seemed a scholastic uniform. The girl did deeds of excuse, saying: "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't want to disturb, but there was a worm, and." The two girls looked at each other, astonished, than exclaimed: "Anna!" "Kagome!" Anna raised on her feet, while Kagome run to her, waving an hand to greet her. Anna shook her head, incredulous. "Kagome, why are you here?- she asked, smiling- You are the latest person I was thinking to meet." "I'm with Inuyasha, he's here, somewhere. We were searching..- she said, then she stood one moment in silence, surprised- well, that." She pointed an index behind Anna, who half turned. "The Palace?- she asked- Are you able to see it with your miko powers?" "It seems so.- Kagome said, puzzled- It's better to call Inuyasha." She cried out his name and Anna made a face because the strong pain in her sensible ears. "Oh, sorry! I've forget you are also an inu-youkai." Kagome said, kind. Anna smiled and shook her shoulders. Inuyasha appeared in that moment, jumping with a dark face from the top of the slope. "What's happening, Kagome? Problems?" he asked. When he saw Anna, his eyes became more cold. "Why the hell is this wench here?" he growled, while he put an hand over Tetsusaiga hilt. Kagome pulled him for one sleeve. "Don't be rude! Look over-there, instead!" she scolded him. Inuyasha was surprised to be in front of the big castle that was his home in the few happy moments of his childhood. How much time was passed by.He stood in silence, clutching Kagome's hand like to remain anchored to the present and not be carried away by the bad remembers about how he was constrict to leave the house after his father's death.and about his mother's one. "Hell, how much time." he whispered, that he turned with an annoyed face to Anna, who was in perfect silence not very distant from them. "Are you still here?- he asked, acid- Why don't you go to advise your precious Sesshoumaru that I'm walking quietly around his property?" "Inuyasha!- Kagome exclaimed, getting angry- Apologize!" "Feh!" was Inuyasha's answer, after he was turn to the other side with folded arms. "Osuwari." Kagome said. In a second, Inuyasha was with his face deeply in the earth for four centimeters, more or less. Anna looked at the show, stunned, that she burst out laughing. "What the hell are you laughing at?!" Inuyasha growled, his voice muffled by the earth he was in. "You've deserve it.- Kagome said, crouching down near him with an upset face- I'm not so sure to want learn that spell about how to destroy the rosary." "But.Kagome!" Inuyasha replied, worried at the thought to wear that damned thing for the rest of his life. "Why haven't you take it off yet, Kagome?" Anna asked, drying a tear while she tried to stop her laughs. Kagome sighed. "It's a very tenacious rosary. I can take it off, but it return always to his place.- she explained- I'm learning from Kaede a spell to reduce it to dust." Kagome seemed to remember something and clapped her hands in front of her. "Ah, I was forgetting! Kaede has said she know you!" she exclaimed, while Inuyasha was finally able to raise up on his feet, muffing something, luckily, intelligible. Anna smiled. "It's true. Kaede and I had known each other when I was still a human." she said, nodding. Kagome cried, excited. "Wow, in this case what she had said it's true! You come from another dimension! It's the reason why you know everyone of us!" she said. Anna nodded, a little puzzled. "Well, yes, more or less.- she said, smiling- I'm glad she remembers me." Kagome tried to say something, than closed her mouth, blushing slightly. "You can ask what you want, Kagome." Anna said. "Ehm.I don't want to seem intrusive, but.- she murmured- how is ended with Sesshoumaru, after that.that fact?" "I went away." Anna replied simply, with a smile. "Oh, Kagome whispered, sad. Inuyasha grunted. "Bah, I don't believe.- he said, half turning- If it was true, you would not be here now. Or is he the one who has sent you away and you are not able to resign yourself?" "You have reason over one point, Inuyasha. I'm not able to resign myself.- Anna said- In fact, I'm returning to him. I don't know if he will want me still, but I can't leave him alone." "Are you a masochist or something?" Inuyasha asked, disgusted. "You love him, don't you?" Kagome asked. After a moment, Anna nodded. "Feh, this shows you are out of your mind!" Inuyasha exclaimed, getting angry. "Inuyasha!!" Kagome said with a terrible voice. Anna put one hand over her shoulder to calm her. "You have all the reasons of this world to hate him.- she said to Inuyasha, who stopped and looked at her with a very dark face- I had them also. But someone has showed me what was still hide beyond the ice. This person has asked to me 'Don't leave him' and I.well, It was not so difficult to convince me." "Someone? Another moron who think Sesshoumaru is recuperable?" Inuyasha asked, sarcastic. Anna raised an eyebrow. "His name was Inuken." she said. Inuyasha paled. "Don't joke about this thing." he murmured, without voice. "I couldn't." Anna said. Kagome looked at the two, perplexed. "Inuyasha, who is Inuken?" she asked. Inuyasha lowered his eyes and squeezed his fists. "He was.Inuken is my father's name." he said. Kagome stood mouth open. "But.your father is dead!- she said- We have visited his grave, when Sesshoumaru wanted to stolen Tetsusaiga!" "In fact, he was only a ghost.- Anna said- He is happy how you've decided to live your life, Inuyasha, but he can't forget the errors he did with Sesshoumaru. He has asked to me of reach his heart, and I want to content him." Inuyasha stood in silence for some instant, then he turned and walked away for some steps. "Feh! Good work!- he said- There's a big work for you, nothing to say!" "I think he's a little moved." Kagome whispered, following him with her eyes. There was so much love in those eyes that Anna felt a clutch over her heart. If she had looked at Sesshoumaru in the same way, she was sure he didn't even let her make a step inside the castle. "I only hope for the best.- Anna murmured- Maybe I'd to be more like you, Kagome. You have done miracles, with Inuyasha." "No, it isn't true." Kagome said, blushing. The two girl smiled at each other. "I would to let you enter in the castle, but I think I'll have difficulty myself." Anna sighed. "I wanted to see it, only.- Inuyasha said, from where he was- I don't ever want to have my poor nose full of the awful smell of my brother." "Oh, you've reason, prince Inuyasha." someone said. The three turned suddenly to the top of the meadow. A youkai with body of beetle and human face grinned, looking at them from the up. "And who the hell are you?" Inuyasha asked, annoyed. "I'm only a youkai with love for justice, prince.- that said, bowing- I'm here to tell you about an interesting proposal." "Whatever it is, I don't care.- Inuyasha said- Go away." "I come from the far East to carry you a message from my Lord, prince.- the youkai said, deploring his rude ways- It's a proposal that let you take what is yours." Anna became attentive, her face darkened while Inuyasha smiled cynically. "If I want something, I'm able to take it without no-needed help, thank you." he said, giving to that intrusive youkai his back. "But if you'll give your strength to the Lord of East, he could give to you the government of these lands, prince Inuyasha!" the beetle exclaimed. "The Lord of East?" Anna murmured, corrugating her forehead. Could he be the source of all the attacks? The beetle smiled evilly. "My Lord knows how bloody is the first son of the great Inuken. He wants to put him down and carry peace to the West. You can have the power, after this." the beetle explained. "In brief, I'll be a dependent of the Lord of East?- Inuyasha said, with an arrogant smile- Bah, even if I die, no! To have the power over such a land.it doesn't interest me. I leave it all to my idiot brother. I don't want to enjoy your political tricks." "But.prince Inuyasha!" the beetle replied, trying to convince him. Anna put herself through he and Inuyasha. "Explain it well.- she said- What would do the Lord of East?" The youkai stopped, uncertain. From the youkai girl didn't come any aggressive aura, but he felt strange. "You seem powerful, lady. Come with us.- he tried to flatter her- Soon, our armies will be ready and we'll attack the youkai." "Sorry, you are talking with the wrong person." Anna said, thinking. The beetle made two steps behind. "What do you want to do with him, Inuyasha?" Anna asked, turning to him. Inuyasha shook his shoulders. "Do what you want. I don' care." he said. Anna sighed, than she cut the head of that youkai with one deed. "Thanks for your information." she said to the dead body. "You don't really want the power, didn't you, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "Why do you ask me this?- Inuyasha asked, surprised- Do I seem suitable for such a thing? No, thank you. I'll do it only under constriction. It's one of the things Sesshoumaru has never understood." "Inuyasha, Kagome, I must to go.- Anna said, giving a glance to the dead beetle- I must to advise Sesshoumaru and.well, see if he let me remain there." "Surely, Anna. Good luck!" Kagome said, shacking her hand. Anna made a greeting deed and started to go. "Ehi.- Inuyasha called her, looking away- If all will go bad, give him a big punch over his nose for me too, then come to our village. Another youkai don't make difference, there." Anna looked at him, astonished, than smiled. "Thank you, Inuyasha!"  
  
** "Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama!" the sentinel screamed, running to the dependent of the Lord. "What?" the toad asked, happily. Since that fool female was gone away, his place was returned the same. "Jaken-sama, a beautiful news!" the sentinel said, smiling. A smile? Jaken made a face. He didn't like that joyful air. It was out of tone. "What you have to be so happy?- he asked, acid- Don't make too much rumor, or our Lord will become angry." The sentinel hid his head through his shoulder, hit, but he returned to smile, lowering a bit his voice's tone. "There's Anna-sama at the First Door. She asks to enter!" he said. Jaken's mouth opened. That damned was return?! He had to make her disappear now, before the Lord could smell. "Open the door." said a cold voice behind him. Jaken turned slowly, while the sentinel run away, happy to obey. Sesshoumaru was at his back and looked at him with an amused face. "It seems that your life is saved." he said, before return from where he was come. Jaken splat an hand over his forehead, distressed. After a while, Anna approached him. "Jaken," she greeted him briefly. Jaken muffled something, than made her deed to follow him and guided her to the Lord's rooms, he couldn't do anything else. Anna entered with her heart beating madly but her mind in alert, trying to not show her feelings. Sesshoumaru was sit at the table they had dinner at with Tetsuya. Kami-sama, see him after more than two weeks made her legs trembling. Sesshoumaru, without understand what was passing through Anna's mind, was full himself of a strange felling. He was satisfied to see her. No, satisfied wasn't the right word to describe what he was feeling. He couldn't named it, but he liked it in every case. He liked to see her sit at the table and greet him with an head's deed. "You are here." he heard himself tell, before he had thought that. "I'm come here to tell you something." Anna said, not showing much care. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. "Well?" he asked. He was annoyed. Anna was strange. From her didn't come any smells. She was surely angry with him, still. "I've discovered who was attacking you. They were killers from the Lord of East.- Anna said- He wants to move was to you and is preparing an army." Sesshoumaru thought about this. He wasn't afraid of that fool, but he didn't want to put in danger his domains. Maybe tell it to the Big Family was the right decision. "That fool.- he murmured, arrogant- He wasn't able to defeat the father and now tries with the son." He thought for another moment, that returned to the present time and to the tensed atmosphere in the room. "It's all?" he asked, noticing Anna was silent. The girl nodded and Sesshoumaru's face darkened. Anna was too much cold, more than ever. In reality, the girl was attending Sesshoumaru asked her to remain, or he gave to her a word she could understand she was welcome, in vain. After some minutes of silence, she bowed her head to the evidence and raised on her feet. "Sesshoumaru-sama." she started. "Why are you returned? Did you want to warning me?" Sesshoumaru asked. Anna stopped. "Didn't you wish to return to your home?" he went on, impassive. Anna darkened. "Someone has asked me to return." she whispered. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "And who, if you please?!" he asked, sarcastic. HE not for sure! If she wanted to go, there was the door. Anna made a strange smile. "I could say it was Tenseiga's wish." Anna replied. Sesshoumaru looked at her like she was totally crazy and the girl sighed. "However, I knew I would not be welcome. Now I go." She turned and went to the door. "You can stay." Anna turned suddenly. Sesshoumaru's face was cold as ever. "What?" Anna asked. "You can stay.- Sesshoumaru said again- If you call me by my name. I don't like to repeat me, Anna. You'd have to know it." Anna smiled and, a moment later, nodded. She felt her triumph whitin the Inuken's one. "In this case, with.your permission, Sesshoumaru, I go to meet Rin. I missed her very much." and she went out, fighting to restrain her joy for that unexpected request. Maybe there was hope for Inuken's desires.and for hers. Sesshoumaru remained still. He hadn't had the entire control of his actions. It seemed that someone had pushed him to stop her before she could go away another time. Her smile had filled him with warmth. He looked Tenseiga. What had Anna said? It was possible that. "Father." he whispered, caressing slightly the scabbard of the sword he had ever denigrated. He it was its wish that Anna stay at his side, well it'd been so. Sesshoumaru thinking at the feelings he had felt with her near him, thought that obey would not be such an horrible thing. 


	15. Heart of Youkai 15

Author's note: Ses-chan &C. aren't mine but of Rumiko Takahashi (it was sometime that I don't say it), but Anna is really mine. The place of Inuzuka comes from another tale of our dear Rumiko. A warning: this is the last calm chapter. From now on will happen every sort of things and I don't know if you'll be so happy about those things.but, please, be patient and faithful (hands ahead, hands ahead!!! ^_^;;;)!! CHAPTER 15 INUZUKA In this way, Anna took again her place in Sesshoumaru's castle. Her return was taken with joy from who had known her in those months. Since the girl was gone, all the servants was been in terror of their Lord. They all murmured about the reason of Lord's bad mood, probably because he missed Anna's shining presence. No one, naturally, spoke it loud when Sesshoumaru or Jaken were near. Life was only one, by the way. Now that their Hime was returned, all would be going better. Even the Lord's face was more calm now. Jaken's bad mood was submerged in the general happiness. It's futile to say that Rin was full of joy for Anna's return. She cried, laughed, than she carried her to Misao and Rika, both happy about it, she told her about what she had done (like Anna was gone away for one year or more), than she cried again and kidnapped her for the entire day, and she didn't sleep if not with the hand of her Anna-nee-chan in her one. Anna was happy herself. She had missed Rin very much and she was happy to be another time near her. More of that, to know that everyone in the castle loved her had filled her of a big warmth. It wasn't so difficult now to consider the Palace her new home. While she was lying on the bad, awake, with Rin's hand still in her one, Anna rethought about her talk with Sesshoumaru. Anna was sure he didn't even ask her to stay, but, against her thoughts, he had done it. In a way. Now she could think about it, he hadn't really ASK. He had talked about a possibility. Anna grunted. It was Sesshoumaru's way. In this way, no one could understand what the youkai was really thinking. "Well, go on step by step.- she thought closing her eyes- He had let me stay. Maybe Inuken had showed me the truth, but I won't discover it if I'll show my feelings to him. He's not ready, yet, and I don't want to suffer." Now she was able to hide her feelings. Maybe she'd lost her control in front of a big shock, but she had time to work on it. Sesshoumaru was the one who had to reach her, not her. Anna would be ever available and at his side, but nothing more. Sesshoumaru had to learn how to decode his feelings, then he could be able to understand her own. Maybe accept them. Or feel the same things. "Stop." she said, her voice muffled in the hands she used to cover her face. From the day after, something had to change. It was better to think how to help Sesshoumaru in the was profiling at the horizon. Sesshoumaru, on the other side, had notice with surprise the affection through Anna and his servants. Her relief when she was returned was not passed unobserved to Sesshoumaru's eyes. Sesshoumaru couldn't understand why. He hadn't ever thought servants could feel something for their lords. For him, no way for sure. For his father, he remembered only respect, and he was sure it still existed under his government. But the affection? Why? From where did it come? He was annoyed that Anna could make the other feel something for her. He passed an hand through his hair, annoyed. It wasn't time to lost himself into such a think. Anna was returned, and here the matter was closed. He had recovered what he had lost, maybe because his father's will, maybe because she had wanted to return. It was enough. Sesshoumaru wanted to pass time with her. Much time. Anna was a multi-faceted mystery and now Sesshoumaru had decided to understand every of those faces. When Anna would became unattractive, Sesshoumaru's been free from that sting that hit his chest every time he thought about her. Well, there was a near war, too. This thought didn't fill him of the typical satisfaction, but it didn't even annoy him. Action, finally. If the Lord of East needed a little fresh to his mind about Inu-youkais power, Sesshoumaru was glad to give him an entire lesson. Now, it was better to study enemy's movements, and write precise reports about his armies. Sesshoumaru didn't believe there was something real behind the threats, but it was better not to have to kill an entire army by himself. After all, thank to his bastard brother Inuyasha, he didn't got Tetsusaiga. Think about Inuyasha made him remember his fist hit Anna's face, so Sesshoumaru dispelled it immediately. He had to send spies and be ready. If things would go bad, and the news worst that he thought, he 'd call a meeting to Inuzuka. He hoped to have not to do it, but, in the worst situation, Anna would go with him. Satisfact, Sesshoumaru called Jaken and ordered to him to convoke his best spies. The spies returned. Not all, neither in a good health, but they returned, carrying with them many news about what attended them. The Lord of East was serious. He was organizing armies of youkais, and he had found an alliance with human warriors, mikos and houshis, saying to them he would fight the bloody Sesshoumaru, killer of humans and youkais. It seemed that the true attack's day was still far, because those peoples had to find a point in common, yet, but it was sure that the Lord of East would move against them, soon or late. Sesshoumaru was not very impressed. He listened to the spies with a very calm and cold face, sit with nonchalance on the throne while Anna was at his side, on the right. Anna's only reaction was a darkening of her face. The spies couldn't restrain theirself to gave a strange look to each other: they wasn't news for be so calm. It seemed they had just said about a dead fish in a lake of the gardens, nothing more. But the two was already prepared to the worse. Since the day after the spies were gone, Sesshoumaru had started to look into the armies he had, his power and the allies he had. Anna had the work to write his considerations while he studied maps and letters, then she had to make an understandable summary to Sesshoumaru, giving to him a clear vision of facts. In a couple of days, Anna was so inside in her role she had started to enjoy his thoughts about tactics and politic. Sesshoumaru had found her words acute and direct, and he had started to talk with her about every particular. This work had go on for one month, one month they had passed together, every day and many nights, when they talked about tactics or wrote letters to the allies. Sesshoumaru and Anna knew well what they had. More of all, they gave ideas one to the other, giving answer to every problem they had. Sesshoumaru dispelled the spies, then stood in silence, thinking. "It's a surprise, he's enjoying with humans." he murmured. Anna sat at his feet. "It seems that he's preparing a total war.- she said, raising her eyes to him- If we have against Buddhist and Shinto powers, the things become bad." "Humans." Sesshoumaru said, annoyed, doing an angry deed with his hand. Anna didn't replied, knowing this was only a vent and that Sesshoumaru's mind was already at work over the problem. Standing close, she had learned to wait. "By the way, yes, this is unexpected.- he said after one moment- We'll find a solution. Meanwhile it's better to call a meeting with the Family and talk about this problem." "Have you decided to call them?" Anna asked. Sesshoumaru had told to her about the Family of Inu-youkai. He was their king and they were only full- blood youkais. They hadn't duties one to the other, and Anna had understand it because Sesshoumaru had almost killed that inu-youkai she had absorbed later, but in danger one of them could call a meeting. Whoever was called was obliged to go and the meeting had place on a special ground, Inuzuka's hill, where they told was born the first of their kind and where no one could drip blood of other inu-youkais. In the present days, dogs and humans who loved them were affected by that place. Sesshoumaru nodded. "I don't think they could be useful,- he said, arrogant- but they'll be something more, and they may have some allies." Anna nodded. She knew Sesshoumaru hated the Family, even if he hadn't ever tell this to her. After all, the Family had made fun of him when Inuken had showed him like his heir. That evening, Sesshoumaru went out alone, out of the Palace. Beyond the walls, he changed form, becoming a dog and leaving his power run freely in his veins. He raised his head to the moon, excited. It was much he was in his human form. Sometimes he asked to himself why he took it so long. The waning moon shone over his snow-white hair. Sesshoumaru raised his muzzle to the moon and howled with all his breath. The echoes propagated everywhere, filling up the forest, the clearing and even the sky. It was the call and no one of tem could resist. He called every name in their primordial language, howling till the last was called. "Will you go to Inuzuka?" Sesshoumaru turned. Anna was at a little distance and was looking at him. A golden light, really demonic, shone in her eyes in the darkness. He made a step, impending over her, who in her human form seemed very fragile. Sesshoumaru asked to himself for the fortieth time when Anna would decide to transform herself. He was.curious. One of the few human feelings he could feel. He returned in his human form. "Yes.- he said, closing his eyes- And you'll come with me." When he opened his eyes, another time two amber drops, Anna smiled. Sesshoumaru felt that sting near his heart. "Yes." she said. The day after, the two left to Inuzuka, going to the north. The left alone and without bags. They were powerful youkais and they needed nothing. Anna, very nervous before the leave, relaxed day by day. They run in silence for the entire day, then they stopped at the sunset and rested all the night. Sesshoumaru was silent during the day, and Anna respected his decision, but in spite of this, the youkai didn't took Anna far from his as always. Anna was near him even in the silence. Sesshoumaru had accepted her presence. In the nights, they told about the Lord of East and his movements. Sometimes, one of them slept and the other watched all night. When was Sesshoumaru's turn to sleep, Anna passed the hours looking at his face. Her heart made her cry in pain because the love she felt was constrict inside. Their relation was radically changed, indeed, but what were they now? More than lord and slave, naturally. But less than friend, and that was a fact. They hadn't ever told about personal facts. the time they had passed together had neared them, making them able to understand the other's movements and thoughts, but nothing more. Thanks to gods, Sesshoumaru didn't suspect that the active and friendly girl near him did all that hoping to see in his eyes a bit of affect when he looked at her. Foolish hopes, maybe. Sesshoumaru didn't notice anything. He understood very well how he appreciated Anna's company instead of Jaken's one. Anna respected his silence, talked with him when they rested. Her sweet voice relaxed him, rubbing away the bit of nervousness he got during the day. Really another thing. An evening, a couple of day before reach Inuzuka, he asked to Anna about her world. He noticed she was surprised, but the girl started to talk and in brief she told about her human life, her parents and the habits she had lost, not really by her will. When she stopped, Sesshoumaru nodded. "A.very different life.- he said- It's not difficult understand why you have still such a difficult to accept your new life. But you are better than some moths ago." He looked at her but Anna didn't even breath. In that moment was too much astonished. "My destiny was script at my birth. Your is deranged." he said, touching without really think Tenseiga. "A destiny involved with life." Anna said. Sesshoumaru look at her, puzzled, and Anna pointed at the sword. "A destiny involved with life.- she said again- But you always try to avoid it giving death." Sesshoumaru darkened and stood in silence. "You don't know many things." he said after a while, with a cold voice. Anna sighed. "It's really difficult for me, because you never tell me about." she replied. Her sweet tone made him darken again. "Don't dare to judge me. It's not your business." he thought, turning to close the argument. In that moment, Anna yawned very prosaically. "Sorry.-she muttered- I'm awake from two nights." Sesshoumaru's anger flew away. He felt a bit of amusement looking at Anna's sleepy face. "Come here." he said. "What?" Anna asked, more awake. "You're too much tired, it's better you could sleep well. I don't want to be damaged by your weakness, tomorrow.- he said, sarcastic- Come here and lay over my tail. It's soft. You'll sleep well." Anna made a big work trying to not show the red which was near to color her cheeks, but she didn't speak, noticing Sesshoumaru's cold glance. Showing a deep calm that she was far to feel, Anna accepted and sat near him, laying her head over that 'fluffy pink thing' over his shoulder. "Kami-sama, I'll never sleep in this way!" she thought, her heart beating madly, while Sesshoumaru approach her more. But, maybe because the warmth of his body, maybe because the feeling of protection he gave to her, after some minutes Anna was asleep, with her head over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, who was thinking just in that moment how bad was been his idea. Anna's smell was drive him crazy. he had never felt anything like that, not even in the battle excitement. His ayes was attracted by the refined lines of Anna's face. He heard her breath slowly, her lips almost open. He would touch her lips with his. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes wide. What kind of thought was that, by the Hell? He had always felt annoyance for such things! He was never caught by his instincts in that awful way!! It was better to go far from Anna, before. Like she had understood his intentions, the girl pushed herself against his chest, making him feel a deep warmth. "How can you do this to me?" he whispered. He laid his lips over her head. A sweet and melancholic wave he couldn't understand fill him. Sesshoumaru hugged Anna and landed his head over a tree behind his shoulders, trying to decipher that strange pain. In this way, he fell asleep. 


	16. Heart of Youkai 16

Author's note: What will happen now? I hope nothing bad.I hope.But am I the author or not?! Sesshoumaru, Anna!!!! Stop do what you want! CHAPTER 16 A CARELESSNESS The morning after, Anna woke up under the attack of a ray of light. She opened her eyes, trying to cover her face from the light. She was against a tree. Near her there was nobody. Anna sat suddenly, looking around. Sesshoumaru, on his feet at a short distance, looked at her with lightly interest. "You're awake." he said. "Uh.yes." Anna said, puzzled, passing an hand through her uncombed hair. Like she had thought, Sesshoumaru had attended she fell asleep, than had left her against the tree. This was not a surprise, but she had had the strange feeling to felt his body's warmth.and his head over her one, the beautiful sensation of his hair through her fingers. Madness, as ever, a nice dream broken by the hard reality. Anna sighed, raising up. Better not sleep from now on. Her dreams were dangerous, if only she had spoken in her sleep she were been surely dismissed. "Can we go?" Sesshoumaru asked. Anna looked at him, noticing his polite tone, then nodded with a smile. Sesshoumaru turned and started to walk, being sure she would follow him immediately. What Anna didn't know, was that Sesshoumaru was still amazed about his lucky. He had waked not more than five minutes before her, finding himself in a strange position. She was laying against his chest, a lock of his hair in one hand. He had his head against her one and hugged her with one arm. Waking up, he stood one moment paralyzed feeling a body so near to his one, a new experience for him, than he was filled another time by that strange feeling from the past evening. Unthinking, he had sniffed her smelling hair, and she had moved in her sleep, carrying him on the Earth again. If Anna'd wake up, she'd surely think that.What? By the way, that.something would transform all bad. So, he had used all his cold self-control to come unlaced from the girl's hug and lean her against the tree, making some steps away to recover his coldness. She had woke up after a while. Really a fucking lucky. While he run with her to Inuzuka, he felt her presence in a way that was pretty painful. Sesshoumaru didn't understand what he felt, if not that all was laced to the warmth. Yes, the warmth of her body against his one, the warmth in his veins when he sniffed her smell, the warmth that filled his chest and grabbed his stomach when she smiled or looked at him right in the eyes. Sesshoumaru had never known the warmth. His life was made of ice deep inside. Now, all his senses desired that experience he had avoided. Sesshoumaru had ever tried to be superior about those sort of things, and had despised who was their victims, judging them weak and slaves of who they desire. Hs father was like them to his eyes, when he was returned with that human wench. Who love, fell pain. Love was useless and weaken the power. That was his thought. But now he suffered not touching that girl. He had to feel weak, but he felt a peace in his soul that puzzled him. Why, why was she able to do this to him? What kind of spell had she cast over the great Sesshoumaru? The youkai, in those two days, thought intensively over that thing, but Anna didn't understand anything. He took the decision to satisfy his lust; after that he could be free from that intriguing fire, but something stopped him. He was not more able to act with Anna in the same way he acted with the other inferior creatures, more or less all the creatures on the Earth, he could not think to hurt her. That annoyed him and made him feel uneasy. But he tolerated this thinking about the warmth he felt when she looked at him with those eyes, that seemed to say: " You are important." And she was the first, maybe the only one, that thought this about him as Sesshoumaru and not as Lord of Western Lands. Sesshoumaru was really under a spell. He started to worry about her. He was carrying Anna just in front of the Big Family. When the other inu-youkai had know her origin, they surely would hurt her. He had never protected anyone, apart himself. Rin had partially changed him, but now the thought of the cruel words the Family's members had ready for Anna filled him of a cold anger. Sesshoumaru didn't want to be defeated by those smiling eyes, but he neither wanted to have a debt. He would protect Anna from those damned. But he surely didn't have to give out, really not. He needed just that Anna could become important for him.  
  
"It's not very different from the others." Anna said, walking at Sesshoumaru's side through the grass of Inuzuka and looking at the other hills all around. "It's enough." was Sesshoumaru's deadly cold comment. Anna sighed. From that morning, Sesshoumaru was returned silent. Now they were at Inuzuka and surely the youkai's mind was on the meeting that would start after a while, but Anna felt a bit of pain thinking about the attention Sesshoumaru had given to her in those past few days. They had just passed a little temple, with its good aura completely dispelled by the yuki of the ground. Sesshoumaru had said that a bit ahead, through the trees, there was a big house that was the meeting's place. "Don't talk if you're not asked.- Sesshoumaru remembered to her for the thirtieth time- Stay near me and don't provoke them." "You've said this one hundred times. Do I seem so stupid?" Anna asked annoyed. Where was all that consideration of those past days? Sesshoumaru gave her a cold glance, than returned to look in front of him. Anna noticed a light of worry in his eyes and stood. Was Sesshoumaru worried for her? It was a thing named MIRACLE. "Don't be worry. I'll do as you wish." Anna said. Sesshoumaru looked at her another time, then nodded. Anna remembered to herself about write about this miracle as soon as she had possibility to do it. Sesshoumaru was really worried for her, because he hadn't buried her words under a ton of his cold irony. They reached soon a little spot of trees, where the house was. Anna's nose was suddenly full of the smell of many inu-youkais, maybe twenty and some very powerful, that attended their Lord. "Don't go away from." Sesshoumaru repeated, with an absent voice. "From you, I know it.- Anna said, approaching him- It's time to know my kind." In the trees all the movements stopped. They had adverted their Lord's presence. Sesshoumaru and Anna appeared in front of the big house, a bit ruined and old, decorated with red lines. Curios and impatient, the inu- youkais stood in silence. Anna noticed that they were very different one to the other. Many of them was a bit older than Sesshoumaru, two or three seemed of her age and others were old. Their eyes passed over Anna, than focused on Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're dead on time.- said one of the older- I hope you've convoked us for an important reason." "I don't waste my time.- Sesshoumaru said, coldly- And I don't like someone take my control over this thing. I've not ask you to speak." His words hit them like lashes. They all bowed their eyes and stood in silence. "Go inside." Sesshoumaru said, looking at them with arrogance.  
  
The Big Family's meeting went on for all the day and the night after. The youkais, sit on a big table, listened to the news from East and, like Sesshoumaru had thought, reacted with indignation. No one of them liked his role as Lord but they were very proudly of their kind. This could unify them like nothing else. So, everyone was ready to give all his power and alleys to their Lord. This thing was long because Sesshoumaru wanted a precise list of everything. Anna wrote it as ever. At the sunrise, the list was finished and they all relaxed. The inu-youkais started to chit-chat, asking only sometimes Sesshoumaru's attention. He was inside the reading of Anna's list. "And when do you want to attack him, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the older youkai asked. "I want to wait him, not attack him.- Sesshoumaru said, without raise his eyes from the list and making silence all around- It's better we fight on a known territory. We haven't a solution about those humans with spiritual powers, yet." "You're right, Sesshoumaru-sama.- a youkai woman with red hair said, with arrogance- Humans, weakly and useless! There's not insult worst than be compared to a human." Someone laughed, the others started again to talk. Sesshoumaru didn't answered. Anna stood with an uncaring face, looking the sky out the open door. She had to take habit with that sort of phrases, but she still felt annoyance for them. Her soul, by the way, was still painfully human. Thinking about what Inuyasha had suffered from those youkais made her blood fire in anger. The red woman's eyes focused on her. With a lightly and evil smile, she walked to Anna, passing near Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru tensed, feeling her combative aura. He turned half, ready to rip off that woman in two if only she had tried to hurt Anna.that appeared beautiful at his eyes, while she looked at the sunrise with her golden hair fluttering over her shoulders. Anna noticed the woman, but didn't care. That youkai was a fool. There's no need of a genius to understand she had aggressive intentions. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you've carried a little cutie doll.- said the youkai, with her hands over her side and bowing to look at Anna's face- She seems an inu-youkai, but she wasn't of this Family. Isn't she?" Sesshoumaru darkened and Anna gave him a glance. Anna had reason, better to say it loud. "Anna is a new inu-youkai.- he said, coldly, laying Anna's list over the table- She was a normal human woman, but she had some powers. For this she was attacked by one of us, who tried a fusion's spell. He failed and Anna have absorbed him. Now she is a youkai like you." Whispers and glances were flung to Anna, who didn't change her face. Sesshoumaru started to ask to himself what was changed in her. It was possible she didn't feel much inside of her? From when he had hit her, Anna's feeling were so feeble. "Beko is disappeared sometimes ago.- the older said, corrugating his forehead- Is he?" Sesshoumaru nodded. The red woman laughed. "Well, I'm damned if he's not more cute now!- she giggled- You're such a cute doll. It's unsurprising Sesshoumaru-sama takes you in his home. Really a kawaii knickknack! Doesn't speak, doesn't move." "A jealous woman.- Anna murmured, looking at her with a bored face- Ridiculous." The red woman stood, purple. "Wh.What?!" she asked, out of breath. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, unable to digest those words. ""How do you dare, human scum?!" "A boring insult.- Anna said, turning her face to the sky again- Your jealousy's smell is so strong that I'd felt it even if I was still a human." Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain a little smile. Anna didn't ever let that woman win on her using words. "Bitch!" that woman growled, throwing her hands to Anna's neck. The girl disappeared under her eyes and appeared behind her without showing care. "It's not my fault if Sesshoumaru hasn't ever notice you.- Anna said, passing some fingers through her hair- I'm not the one who has create you, you useless wench." "Kima, stop." someone said. "I challenge you, damn bitch!" she screamed. Anna nodded, shaking her shoulders. "Kima!- said one of the older- You know well that no one could make someone bleed over this ground!" "No problem. I'll eat her and the ground will not have to protest!" the youkai growled. "Sesshoumaru-sama, stop them!" someone said. Sesshoumaru stood up. "If Anna will win, you'll accept her inside the Family." were his words. They all stood in silence. Kima became more furious. "Go out, girl.- she growled- You'll understand who Kima is." Anna followed the woman outside with a cold face. The two stood one in front to the other, surrounded by the other inu-youkai. "You'll understand what terror is, brat!" Kima growled, taking her dog's form. Anna looked at her with conceit. She was the half of Sesshoumaru, if not less. If Kima wanted to make an impression to her, she had to work much. "And you? Don't you transform yourself, girl?" said one of the inu-youkais. "A human is enough to defeat such a dog." was Anna's cold reply. The red dog growled, tracing tracks on the ground with her claws. Kima throw herself against Anna mouth open. Anna jumped with uncaring and landed over Kima's back, who turned suddenly, surprised. "You are slow." Anna said, jumping away when the youkai tried to squeeze her on the ground rolling over her back. Sesshoumaru looked at the fight with an unexpressive face, not listening to the cries of incitement from the other youkais, caught by the battle. Anna's actions weren't normal. He didn't feel her combating aura, and it was not possible. Anna was been insulted and Sesshoumaru knew very well how temperamental she was. He had proved over himself her anger. Now, this way of act was too much similar to his one. Something was wrong. Anna played with Kima for a while, hearing with one ear the cries about 'that weakly human', 'that little bastard' and pleasantness of this kind, and she was getting angry. Anna was more than happy about her new power of restrain her emotions. She had never let them feel her pain at those words.and at the lack of reaction in Sesshoumaru. "It's enough. I'm tired." she whispered, after she had avoided an attack. Anna jumped to Kima's head and put her hand over it. A big yuki went out and passed to her, while the red youkai collapsed to the ground. Anna left her and she remained there, breathless, really near to death. "I won't kill you.- Anna said, coldly- But learn to restrain your tongue, big and scaring Kima." "She's.powerful, Sesshoumaru-sama- said one- You are wise taking her by your side." Sesshoumaru nodded without thinking, looking at Anna. It was possible that. "She powerful but not pure.- another replied- We can't accept her inside our Family." "But haven't you seen how she has defeated Kima?!" said a girl. They started to argue. Anna, very annoyed, turned and walked in the forest, ignoring deliberately Sesshoumaru's orders. Sesshoumaru had looked at her for the entire time with an unexpressive face, without say a single word to defend her. What had he? Was he annoyed because she had fought a pure youkai? Well, she had deserved it! Why, when she needed him, he was so damned cold?! "What am I for you?" she hissed, leaving her anger free of show itself. Luckily, there was no danger. Sesshoumaru was with the other youkais and he was surrounded by their angry auras. She was surely passed unobserved. Annoyed, she punched a tree, making a big hole in it, than she went on to walk, restraining another time her feelings. But Anna didn't know that Sesshoumaru had left the others and had flied to follow her. In this way, he had seen her action from a not very far distance. "She has fooled me." Sesshoumaru whispered, seeing her disappear in the forest. Anna was able to restrain her feelings. She had broken their agreement. Since when? Since when did she fool him? It was obvious. Since the time he had hit her. "She showed an happy face when I told her to remain with me.but she didn't smell the same." Maybe she was fooling me. "She was gentle and calm." She was fooling me. "She looked at me like I'm important for her." She was surely fooling me. Anna had fooled him from much time, and he was near to fall in her trap. Nothing of what she had showed to him was the truth. Maybe she hated him. She remained with him because he was enough stupid to give her food and a beautiful home. She had nearly find her way into his soul with an incredible and scaring speed. "Damned wench.- Sesshoumaru murmured, while he squeezed his fists- You have dared to fool me!" Now she had to pay. No one could do this to the Great Sesshoumaru without pay with the higher price. The thought of her warmth was still a sting in his chest, but Sesshoumaru drove it away. The only warmth in his life from now on would be only the anger fire.  
  
Anna returned only on that evening. The sun was already gone. Anna knew that all the inu-youkais was sleeping, taking the right rest after the meeting, so she walked through the corridors with plushy steps. She sighed thinking about her foolishness hoping the impossible, than she opened her room's door. Not really visible in the shadows, Sesshoumaru waited for her, laying against a wall. He looked at her with his amber eyes. "Sesshoumaru?" Anna said, uncertain. Sesshoumaru had never entered in her room without her. Surely, not after the sunset. Sesshoumaru stood unmoving and silent. Anna felt that something was wrong. There was too much tension. "Sesshoumaru, what." she started. "Come in and lock the door.- Sesshoumaru said, and she shivered at his cold voice- We have to talk." 


	17. Heart of Youkai 17

Author's note: But why, WHY am I so evil? ç_ç I don't know what to write, so I'll just say that Sesshoumaru&C. aren't mine, but of Rumiko Takahashi. I can't call him Sess-chan after.oops, you don't know it, yet! Please, read! CHAPTER 17 YOU'VE BETRAIED ME "Sesshoumaru, what." Anna said. She felt the need to turn and run away. ""Come in and lock the door.- Sesshoumaru said, without moving- We have to talk." Anna's heart tried to jump away, but Anna tried to calm down. What was this 'we have to talk? Sesshoumaru was surely angry.Maybe because her show with that.her name.that Kima? Ready to an interminable argue with him, Anna entered inside the room and locked the door behind her. In the room reigned darkness. And a deep silence, too. Anna could heard her heart beat the time, while her eyes were focused on the still figure inside the few rays of light from the outside. Sesshoumaru's silence made her feel uneasy. "Listen, I'm sorry for Kima." Anna said, trying to anticipate the events and to dispel that ugly tension. "You're been very artful." Sesshoumaru said, burying her words under a cold blanket. At those words, Anna started to feel scared. Something was definitely wrong. It didn't seem the start of one of their typical argues. Sesshoumaru was more distant now than in the night she was become a youkai. "Sesshoumaru, I don't understand." she said, but a terrible suspect was already inside her mind. "Shut up.- Sesshoumaru said, making a step to her- I'm tired of your foolish human lies running through my head.! Not able to move, Anna followed Sesshoumaru's movements till he stopped in front of her. Anna looked at his face and the contempt she could read in his eyes made her blood froze. "From when?" he asked. "F.From when what?" Anna asked. Sesshoumaru gripped her shoulders, his fingers deeply in her flesh with violence. Anna tried to free herself, scared. What was happening? Why did he act like this?! "You hurt me!" she said. "How many time is passed by since you've hid your feelings?" Sesshoumaru asked, with a dangerous hiss. Anna stopped, astonished. "Have you.seen me?" she said, without voice. Sesshoumaru smiled ironically and Anna closed her eyes, cursing herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid! "It's not as you think." Anna said, but Sesshoumaru clutched her shoulders more deeply, killing whatever she wanted to say. "Don't search excuses, stupid wench.- Sesshoumaru said, while in his eyes passed a red flash of anger- How have you dared to fool me, the great Sesshoumaru? With what courage have you showed me your liar face for all this time?!" "I've never lied!" Anna cried. No! NO! Why was all gone wrong?! "But this is a lie, isn't it?!" Sesshoumaru growled, shaking her. Anna denied, trying to restrain her tears. "And I'm been so fool to fall into your trap! I was near to fa." Sesshoumaru stopped to talk and Anna opened her eyes, surprised. Sesshoumaru.Sesshoumaru was so angry.because he felt anything for her? Was it the point? Did he believe she had lied when she smiled at him or talked with him gently? No, he was wrong! The only thought that now he hated her was breaking her heart in pieces! "Please, Sesshoumaru, listen to me.- she said, trying to calm her trembling voice- It's true, I've hid my feelings since the day I returned to the Palace, after that.that fact. The reason is." "I don't want to listen.- Sesshoumaru said, coldly, moving one of his hand to her throat- You've damaged me, but luckily I'm in time to put a stop to all this." He stopped when Anna's hand touched his one with tenderness. He looked in her eyes and his heart stopped. In those eyes shone something so deep to hurt him. But she couldn't, she wasn't sincere. "Sesshoumaru, I was afraid about showing to you what I felt. You were.not ready, yet." she said. "It's a decision of mine if I'm ready or not for something." Sesshoumaru said, clutching her neck. Anna made a face but didn't stop to look right in his eyes. "You're not ready.- Anna whispered, than she cried with anger and desperation- Do you really think I'm so happy about not be completely sincere with you?!" Sesshoumaru made an angry face. That wench was gone too far and he had given to her the possibility to talk too much. He was there to humiliate her and kill her, so it was better do it there and then. He looked at her for the last time, in her eyes that seemed to make a hole in his soul showing trust and sincerity.Sesshoumaru didn't ever understand what happened then. Anna understood it was the end when she saw the anger over his face. She closed her eyes, waiting for the final act, too much desperate for her failure for think about a reaction, when she felt herself pushed against Sesshoumaru. A second later, Sesshoumaru's lips met hers, in a violent and passionate kiss. Sesshoumaru was kissing her?! Anna was too much astonished to think clearly, but her youkai's senses felt his anger and frustration inside that kiss. Those, with her sensation, made her cry. A tear fell over her face. In that moment, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes wide, puzzled because his crazy action, and pushed Anna away, giving an end to the kiss and giving her his back. Anna, fell on the ground, stood there, dumbfounded, while tears streaked her cheeks without she could really feel them. Sesshoumaru was disgusted of himself. He had never, NEVER, lose his control in such a way! He hadn't kill her.he had KISSED her! What a weakly person was he becoming?! "I don't want to see your face again." he said. If he couldn't kill her, better to put a big distance through them. "Sesshoumaru." Anna said with a trembling voice, raising her face to look at him- Sesshoumaru, please." "If you'll show your face at the Palace, I'll give the order to kill you.- Sesshoumaru went on, turning and walking to the door- For me, you're already dead." Whit this, Sesshoumaru opened the door and went out. Anna stood inside the dark room, looking with teary eyes the closed door. "I couldn't tell you that I love you.- she said, while all her self-control vanished- And now you hate me.Don't hate me.Please, don't hate me!!!" Her last words were lost in her sighs. Sesshoumaru, in the corridor, stopped his steps, like for an afterthought. He felt empty, but his heart beat madly. Tenseiga seemed to pulse at his side. He touched his lips, then rubbed them to cancel even the remember of that damned kiss. He went on to walk, rebuilding the ice armour around his heart. ** Anna spent a terrifying night. She was desperate, but, more of all, she hadn't the slightest idea about how to put a remedy over that disaster. Sesshoumaru hated her, but only because he hadn't understand! She loved him with all her heart! A bit before the dawn, Anna raised on her feet from the ground she had spent the night on. Her face was still full of tears, but Anna didn't care. She had absolutely to talk with Sesshoumaru. She couldn't go without say that she loved him. Sesshoumaru wouldn't surely say the same, but Anna couldn't even think about his contempt for her, not mentioning the fact she couldn't see him anymore. She went out from her room and walked like a sleepwalker to his one. She reached the door, searching the courage to knock, when she heard voices from the inside. Sesshoumaru was talking with someone. "So, she isn't your mate." this someone said. Anna stopped. She wasn't able to give a face to that voice, but he is for sure the youkai had denied her entrance in the Family. Sesshoumaru didn't understand but the other laughed. "I understand, Sesshoumaru-sama. You couldn't blemish your noble kind with such a creature." he said. Anna squeezed her fists and bit her lips, listening. "It's obvious." Sesshoumaru said, with his typical cold voice. The other giggled. "In this case, you haven't reasons for say me no, haven't you?" the youkai asked. "You can do what you want." Sesshoumaru replied. "Really thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama.- the inu-youkai said- I need a new lover and that girl, Anna, is good enough to give me some children. She has surely a dirty human soul, but her blood is demoniac. In charge, I'll try to take the wolf youkais with us." "I've faith." Sesshoumaru said. Anna's head was really near to explode, how the blood pulsated inside her veins. Sesshoumaru was selling her to another youkai!!!! "Just a thing.- Sesshoumaru said- If you can't tame her, kill her. She's a untrustworthy creature and she has enough power. Don't let her do what she wants so easily." "It'll be my duty be careful, Sesshoumaru-sama." the other answered, smiling mischeviously. The door opened with a violent sound. Sesshoumaru and his guest turned to the door, where Anna stood, showing her fangs in a terrible angry face and squeezing her fists. "You are.selling me to him." she growled. From her fists started to drip some bloody drops. "Talking of the devil." the inu-youkai said. "I've told you that I don't want to see your face anymore." Sesshoumaru said, trying to turn away. "Did you want to know how I felt, Sesshoumaru?" Anna asked, with an unnatural and deep voice. Sesshoumaru turned to her again, puzzled. he noticed with surprise that Anna's fangs were grown and her eyes was golden. The sclera was blue. "Calm down.- the other inu-youkai said, annoyed- If you'll transform yourself here, you'll damage the corridor." Anna didn't look at him, her eyes were focused over the unmoving face of Sesshoumaru. "Would you know what I feel NOW, Sesshoumaru?!- Anna said, her voice more strong- So, here! Take all I feel! Take it all!!!!" Saying this, Anna left go her feelings. A monstrous wave of hate, desperation and fighting spirit fill the room, hitting like it was something physical the two. "I HATE YOU, SESSHOUMARU!!!!- Anna cried, covering her face with her nailed hands- I HATE YOU!!! I HATE YOU!!!!!!" With a last glance that passed through Sesshoumaru, Anna turned and ran away at an incredible speed. "Stupid wench.- the inu-youkai said, starting to run behind her- I'll take care of her, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sesshoumaru was petrified. he couldn't believe he had caused such a reaction in her. But.maybe she hadn't lie? He.Was he wrong? Why, why had she react in that way? He couldn't stand that deep hate! Was it a so deep feeling what she had hid for all those months? he didn't understand, didn't understand! Damn, he wanted to understand!!!!!!  
  
"Anna.- he said, without voice- Stop." He had to stop her before she could fight against the other inu-youkai. Anna ran away, leaving her anger take the control. Her youkai blood pulsated as never, filling her of an unknown strength. She heard the alarm cried of the inu-youkais around her, while she went out from the house, but she didn't care. She felt herself changed, more fined and big. The only words in her mind were HATE and DEATH. She laughed at the sound of a thunder. With a couple of jump, she was at the borders of Inuzuka., while the animals ran away feeling her evil presence. She turned, annoyed. An inu- youkai was just behind her. Anna recognized him. He was that damned who had tried to buy her from Sesshoumaru. Growling, without notice her change and the inu-youkais all around, Anna started to give the right lesson to that bastard. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe to his eyes when, while he was running to the head of the inu-youkai's group, he saw the two fighters. Anna was, for the first time in her new life, in her dog-form. A big golden dog, with long and shining hair, golden eyes with blue sclera and a blue-golden flame over her forehead. The bloody anger that flashed in her eyes was not a good signal. A light shone over her head. "Anna, stop!- he cried, running quickly- You're still inside Inuzuka!!" But Anna, seeing Sesshoumaru, lost the bit of rationality that still remained. When the inu-youkai attacked her, she hit him with a leg, making him rolling down the meadow, carrying with him many trees. A moment before Sesshoumaru could reach her, Anna jumped and landed over the inu-youkai, biting him on the neck and killing him with the touch. Sesshoumaru stopped, while the others screamed in indignation. Anna raised her blooded head to the sky and howled wildly, over the dead body of the inu-youkai. "It's my fault." Sesshoumaru whispered, while a picture of the smiling girl laid itself over the bloody monster's one. Anna howled again, than rip off the head of her rival and threw it to the others in sign of contempt. With the blood dripping from her mouth and the anger still in her eyes, the inu-youkai that was been Anna turned her back to the white figure of Sesshoumaru and ran away. Sesshoumaru didn't move, without really advert the other inu-youkais, that were howling, sending their servants to haunt the girl who had spotted Inuzuka's ground. A big group of youkais passed over their heads, following the big golden dog. With a last, big thunder, it started to rain. "Come, Sesshoumaru-sama.- said one of the older- Our servants are enough to punish such an action." Sesshoumaru didn't replied, his eyes focused on the blood dripping from the dead body, carried away by the rain. ** The big golden dog was tired. He had killed many of them, but he had run and fight, run and fight from days. Days.How many? He didn't know. Was it important? No, important was run away from.from.he didn't wanted to think about it. Better growl, eat and kill, fill his body of those fools' energy to try to recover. And that damned rain! Without a stop, it had followed his in his (flight) run, as those stupid youkais, that didn't know how to stop. If not because it rained, the big golden dog would surely covered with blood, the other's and his one. He was been hit, few scratches, but better feel pain that be dead.or not? He had pushed them till there (but where?), a big river of youkais. He had avoided human's villages. He didn't know why, he didn't care so much about humans, but his steps had decided so. The youkais hadn't ever attack him seriously, but now that he was tired, all them had tried to kill him. The big golden dog didn't know how much was during that battle. He only knew that the ground under his feet was covered with corps. He bit a bird youkai, snapping his vertebral column, than he swung two claws, killing maybe ten youkais. Hell! How many were they? "Hiraikotsu!" A human voice? The big golden dog turned his eyes to the voice. yes, a human. Two humans. A woman and a man. He seemed a houshi. Powerful. A big boomerang killed some youkais, then returned to its owner. Crap, he didn't want help from humans! The dog kill the last enemies, while the boomerang hit them again. In that moment, the houshi activated a barrier around the big golden dog. Damn! He was too much weakly to resist. But he didn't want to be defeated. He tried to broke the barrier, but the houshi was too much powerful and (she) he was too much tired. She returned to her human form, while all around the things became more big.or was she the little one? Anna fell on her knees, her hair covering her face, giving a look of hartred to those two humans, that now were approaching her. A tajiya with a big boomerang, dark hair in a ponytail and brown eyes, followed by a cat demon; a young man in the typical dress of a monk. "She's a woman, Miroku." the tajiya said. "I see, Sango." the monk said, with a light of amusement in his eyes to the tajiya cold glance. "Miroku? Sango?" Anna said, with a hoarse voice. She didn't mistake! They were 'they'! "Inuyasha and Kagome.- she whispered, surprising them.- I know them. Please, let me go. Let me." Whatever she was saying, fainted and dead when she fell in the oblivion. 


	18. Heart of Youkai 18

Author's note: We are near to the end.We'll have not many chapter after this. I'm pretty sad ç_ç so I've decided to do an announcement: this fic will have a sequel!!!!^ ^ Please, don't tell me you don't care ^ ^;; I'll explain it better in another chapter. Now, what will happen after that fight? Would Sesshoumaru go in search of Anna? We'll see.. CHAPTER 18 A WASTED CHANCE "So, she was human." the little kitsune said, jumping around the futon with a cautious air. "She was human, the last time I've seen her, Shippou." Kaede said, raising on her feet with rigid movements. The little Shippou made a not very convinced face and looked another time to the sleeping figure on the futon, inside a spiritual barrier. "Inuyasha and Kagome have told about her, don't you remember?" "Mmh." Shippou grumbled. Kaede laughed. "Are you still mad with him?" the old miko asked. Shippou stood in an obstinate silence and Kaede tried successfully to not laugh again. A couple of weeks ago, Kagome was returned in her world because her school, or something involved with, and Inuyasha had followed her. Shippou had tried to enjoy with them, but Inuyasha had found him inside Kagome's bag and had tied him to a tree, so he couldn't follow them. Kagome didn't know this fact, but Shippou wondered the 'osuwaris' Inuyasha would take from her after he had told all this to his friend. Since the day they had ended the Shikon's search, Inuyasha was become too much possessive. He wanted only spend his time with his friend! "I'm going to search Sango and Miroku-sama.- Kaede said- Please, if she wake up, call us suddenly." Shippou nodded and the old miko went out. She found Sango not very distant from her house. She was examinating her Hiraikotsu. Hearing her steps, the girl raised her eyes over her. "Kaede-sama! Any news?" Sango asked, smiling. Kirara purred over her legs. Kaede shook her head. "She's still asleep.- she said- And it doesn't surprise me, if only half of those buzzes are true." Sango nodded. Some days ago, in the village was arrived news about a terrible inu-youkai, that was killing many youkais during his run. It seemed very dangerous. Miroku and Sango had immediately decided to defend the village's people. They were ready to a terrible battle, but in the end all was gone quickly and with good results. They had captured the golden dog, really exhausted, and it had shown itself as a woman. More of all, it seemed that this woman was the human changed into a youkai who lived at Sesshoumaru's side from time, listening to Kagome and Inuyasha's words. "I'm sorry this is happened during the absence of Kagome-chan and Inuyasha.- Sango said, thinking- I'm wondering what have pushed that woman here." "And in such a condition.- Kaede nodded- It seemed all was gone well through her and Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha had said she was been accepted inside the castle another time." "It's not a normal thing she had so many youkais after her. Something strange has happened, surely." Sango said. She went out from her thoughts. "But say, Kaede-sama, do you need me for some reason?" "I'd like you and Miroku would be at her side, when she'll wake up.- Kaede nodded- She's still asleep, but her aura grow till this morning." Sango nodded and Kaede looked all around. "And.ehm, where's Miroku-sama?" "Houshi-sama?- Sango asked, cynical- Where do you image he is? He is surrounded by the village's girls, as ever." "But they aren't serious.- Kaede sighed, shaking her head- Don't be mad with him, Sango." "I'm not mad. Houshi-sama can make himself ridiculous till the end of his days, for what I care." Sango answered, pissed off. Kirara, feeling hurricane's air, jumping from the girl's legs. "Really?- Kaede tensed her- But I've heard you call him houshi-sama only when you're mad, in this latest time." Sango's cheeks flushed of a brilliant red. Hiding her embarrass, Sango stood up and put Hiraikotsu over her shoulders. "When he acts like a human and not like a pervert, I can consider him a friend.- she grumbled- I go to find him, Kaede-sama." Kaede looked at Sango while she started to walk with quick steps and sighed. "My dear guys.- she muttered- Too much pride." Saying this, she turned and walked again to her house. Sango found Miroku exactly where she had wondered he was: in the middle of a crowd of admired and pitiful girls. The girl made a face. Dead and buried the Air Rip's story, he had started to pretend to be the holy man on the Buddhist road, who could never know the love of a woman. Suddenly, Miroku was become the ideal man of all the village's girls, that wanted to put away that handsome guy from such a sad life. You want something only if for some reason is denied to you.Sango sighed, annoyed. For what she knew, Miroku could have take advantage from this innumerable times.but she hadn't ever caught him. If she wasn't be so sure about his lecher's nature, Sango could have said Miroku was only pretending. Seeing him completely inside his role, with all those cute girls around him, Sango became sad. Miroku had never talk to her with that calm voice, looking at her with his gentle eyes.Her cheeks reddened again remembering the time, when they were inside Mt. Hakurei, she had cried out she wanted to die with him. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Nothing was changed from then. Miroku wasn't attracted by her. In fact, she was the only girl he hadn't asked to bear his child. "And who wants him to ask me that?" she growled with a low voice, annoyed to herself. She walked on, ready to give vent to her nervousness on him. Miroku raised his eyes from the adoring crowd and saw Sango approach him with a dark face. He smiled and waved politely to her. "Sango!- he greeted- Do you carry me news or did you wanted to see me?" Sango stopped at a brief distant from the group, throwing killer glances all around. The girls, frightened, went away in a hurry. Miroku laughed nervously. Sango was really mad! He didn't dislike her sort of jealousy, if it was jealousy, but the Hiraikotsu over her shoulders wasn't a good signal. "Kaede-sama needs us.- Sango said, churlish- She thinks the girl will wake up soon." "Perfect! I'm really curious about what has pushed that girl here." Miroku said, walking with Sango and making a ring with his staff at every step. Sango didn't reply and Miroku looked at her in worry. "Are you ok, Sango-chan?" he asked, half joking, half serious. Sango hid her embarrass hearing him call her in that way. Recently, Miroku had started to fool her calling her in that way and Sango had replied taking the habit to call him Miroku.but not when she was angry with him. Sango was sure Miroku had planned it all. "All fine, thanks." she said, giving to him a cold glance. Miroku sighed, but didn't reply. He looked at her another time, while his face softened noticing, for the hundredth time, that Sango was beautiful. He sighed again. In spite of he had tried to make her fall in his trap and show to him her feelings, Sango resisted.Miroku was near to think he wasn't so able in that kind of things. When he was with Sango, he didn't know how to act, so, in the end, he did something to make her mad, breaking the tension through them. If only he had tried to take her in his arms, he had surely take Hiraikotsu right in the head, within the scream of the girl he loved. Better admit it if only to himself, it was just a step ahead. ".Houshi-sama? Miroku?" Miroku went out from his thoughts, noticing that Sango was calling him from time. "Uh.yes?" he asked, smiling. Sango looked at him like he was a being without brain, than shook her shoulders. "Nothing.- she said- I was thinking you were worried about something." Suddenly, Sango found Miroku's brightly eyes just in front on her, and her hands vanished into his ones. "Oh, Sango! Were you worried for me?!" Miroku asked, theatrical. Sango tried to free herself from the houshi's clutch. "I.no! Absolutely." Sango started to protest. In that instant, she felt a delicate hand caressing her behind. Sango's face became of a very nice tomato's red. "HENTAI!!!!!" The scream and then the Boomerang's hit over the head of the poor monk echoed in the village. Kaede and Shippou looked at each other. "I think they're coming." Shippou said. Kaede shook her head with resignation. ** Anna opened her eyes. "Ehi! She's awake!" someone said, with a tiny voice half excited half frightened. Anna turned her eyes, feeling around the futon where she lied a powerful spiritual barrier. Miroku, Sango and Kaede were sit at her side, waiting her awake, she thought. Shippou was over a Miroku's shoulder, curious. Kirara was curled near her lady. "How are you?" the old miko asked. Anna stood in silence for a moment. "Kaede-sama.- she whispered- Fine. I'm fine. I can't feel any pain." "Your wounds are healed quickly." Kaede nodded, while Sango and Miroku looked at each other. The girl had recognized Kaede, so she was surely the Anna of Inuyasha and Kagome's story. Anna nodded. "A privilege from my youkai's nature.- she murmured- Would you remove this barrier? I'm completely rational now, I won't kill you." Miroku corrugated his forehead, noticing the lack of expression inside the youkai's voice, but nodded and removed the holy seals. The barrier vanished. Anna sat up, looking with a distant face her dress in shreds. "I've.run for long." she said, looking again to the others. Sango almost shivered. That youkai was completely empty of vitality. Kagome had told about a friendly and strong girl.What could be happened to her? Have I killed anyone?" Anna asked, surprising them. "But you." Kaede started. "Don't you remember?" Miroku asked. "I don't remember well my long run.- Anna admitted- Please, say it to me, if you know that." "You've killed many youkais during your run.- Sango said, scanning her- It's the reason because me and houshi-sama had decided to intervene." Miroku restrained himself to give an hurt look to Sango: she was still mad with him. Anna thought over. "I remember the youkais." she said. "Why were they following you?" Miroku asked, gently. "I've.- Anna made a face- I've committed an act and someone think I should be punished for that. I've killed over Inuzuka's ground." "I understand." Miroku murmured, thinking. "We don't, Miroku. Can you explain it to us?" Shippou asked. "Inuzuka is a sacred ground for all the inu-youkais, this is all I know. It's a sacrilege spilling blood on it." the monk explained. "Why have you broken this rule?" Kaede asked. Anna avoided the question with a deed. "By the way, I don't care about youkais.- the girl said- I'm asking about human's victims." "We.don't know." Sango answered, after give a puzzled glance to Miroku and Shippou. "I see." Anna whispered. "Kagome and Inuyasha? Aren't they here with you?" she asked. "No.- Shippou answered, his cheeks swollen in annoying- They are beyond the well." "Oh.- was Anna's comment- Maybe it's better." She tried to stand up, but Kaede stopped her. "What are you doing? It's too much early for you go out of bed!" she rebuke her. "Let me go, Kaede-sama, or I'll bring inside this house all the youkais that are following me to punish my act." Anna said, putting away Kaede's hands and raising up on her feet. Her legs trembled, but she found enough strength to stand up. "It's about Sesshoumaru, isn't it?" Miroku asked. Sango saw Anna's face becoming of ice. "Miroku!" she hissed, turning to close his mouth. She stopped when she saw how serious was Miroku, who didn't low his eyes in front of Anna's coldness. "We know your situation. Kagome and Inuyasha, as friends of us, have told everything about you.- Miroku went on to talk- It was strange to me that balance through you two. Kagome-sama has describe you as a gentle and strong creature. To put you in condition to do such a crime, Sesshoumaru must have done something terrible to you." Anna stood in silence, in tensed atmosphere. "We don't ask anything to you.- Miroku finished- But, please, wait till Inuyasha and Kagome will return to us. They couldn't forgive us if we let you go, now." The tension vanished. Anna thought over for a moment, than nodded. "Fine, I'll remain for a while.- Anna whispered- You are.really nice peoples." Miroku smiled and Sango looked at him in surprise. She had ever known his ability with words, but it was a thing that didn't stop to surprise her. ** "HENTAI!!" "No, Sango! Ouch!" "Would they ever stop?" Shippou muttered, shaking his head. He looked to Anna, who was sit near him over a tree branch. The youkai girl watched Sango and Miroku's show with a light smile over her lips, but didn't reply, still inside her personal world. Shippou sighed, looking at his little feet of fox. Anna was in the village from two weeks and in all that time she hadn't ever say a word about what was happened to her. Shippou understood that was something serious, but he hadn't the courage to introduce the speech. In spite of her cold appearance, Anna was surely a gentle, caring and available girl. Sango, after a bad start, had decided they could be friends, and she had gave her a kimono to replace her elegant but ruined dress. Miroku had started with his lecherous actions, so he run every day for some reason with Sango behind him. Shippou followed Anna everywhere, because she was so gentle to sing for him and tell him stories. really a good thing, while Kagome wasn't there. Shippou had understand Anna was very lovable. But Anna, even if she smiled, wasn't really there. She waited Inuyasha and Kagome's return, maybe because she felt in debt for their kindness, but she wasn't really present even when she talked with them. She seemed to have left her heart and mind somewhere, and Shippou wasn't so little to do not understand where. In that moment, Miroku, with a couple of wonderful bumps on his forehead, appeared on the base of the tree. "Anna!- he cried, desperate- My sweet kami with golden hair, help me!" "I'm sorry, Miroku, but Sango's anger is right." Anna replied, smiling lightly. "But.I haven't done anything, yet!" Miroku replied, hurt. "But I'll give you something, you lecher!!- Sango screamed, making him start again to run- You're only a polyp!" "Children." Shippou grumbled. "But.those two have not show their feelings to each other, yet, haven't they?" Anna asked. Shippou looked at her with curiosity. It was the first time Anna asked something about his friends. Shippou sighed, making an all- knowing adult face. "Everybody know, but not them- he said- They need a miracle to put away their pride." "Mmh." Anna murmured. Then, while Sango and Miroku's cries faded in the distance, she started to sing and Shippou sat more near her to listen better. ** Running, Miroku and Sango arrived near to the Goshinboku. Miroku, tired, turned half to Sango, who had still Hiraikotsu in her hand but seemed not very angry. "Sango-chan, could we stop?- Miroku said, smiling- I will not do it another time, I promise!" "I know your promises.- Sango growled- And don't call me Sango-chan!" "No, please, Sango." Miroku sighed, seeing Sango start to make the movement to throw her boomerang, but he stopped when he saw the girl stumble badly because a root. Sango closed her eyes shut, while she fell on the ground and left go Hiraikotsu, but instead hard ground and grass, she felt strong and warm arms around her. She opened her eyes suddenly. Miroku had caught her before she could fall. "Are you ok, Sango?" Miroku asked, really worried. "Sure! I." Sango said, aggressive, trying to avoid his perverted hands, but the she looked at his face and her anger vanished. He seemed so worried for her.almost loving while he put her on her feet again. "I.I'm sorry, Miroku. Maybe I've exceeded." she murmured. "I'm sorry too, Sango.- Miroku said, politely- I can never stop myself in time." He took away a stalk of grass from her hair.and suddenly their eyes met. "Sango, I." Miroku whispered, his voice hoarse. Without could restrain himself, the monk approached her face. Sango stopped to breathe, understanding Miroku's intentions. She had to stop him, before."I can't! I can't stop him!- she thought, hypnotized- I want it from so much time." Sango closed her eyes and waited Miroku's lips.in the end. "Ehi, you two? What are you doing?" Sango and Miroku froze at three centimeters one from the other, more or less. Red like chili peppers, they turned rigidly to the voice, that came from the well. Inuyasha was coming out from it with a perplexed face, while Kagome, half inside, sighed sadly. "Inuyasha, you are as sensible as an elephant.- was regretting the girl- Couldn't you wait any minute before talk?" "Uh? And why?" Inuyasha asked, puzzled. "Ehm.it's beautiful to see you again!- Miroku said, recovering his sanity, while Sango went away, approaching Kagome- You've passed much time there!" "Feh! It's Kagome's damned school's fault." Inuyasha grumbled. "I'm free from the remedial exams!" Kagome said, triumphant, but she gave a pitiful look to her friend's still red face. "Congratulations, Kagome-sama!" Miroku said, then, when Sango went a bit more far with Kagome, he hit hardly Inuyasha on the head. "Ehi!- Inuyasha growled, clutching his neck- For what was that?!" "For your untimeliness, moron!" Miroku growled in the same way. "What do you want, you lecher?!" Inuyasha cried, raising a fist. "Learn a bit of sensitiveness from Kagome-sama, you bastard!" Miroku replied, raising his staff. "Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice made then turn suddenly. Inuyasha hid his head through his shoulders, ready to an 'osuwari', but he left immediately Miroku when he noticed the worried face of his beloved one. "Kagome, what's happened?" he asked. "Anna is here, Inuyasha." Kagome said, looking at Sango, who nodded. "She's here to meet us?" Inuyasha asked. He understood suddenly that it was not the reason. "Sesshoumaru.- he growled- What has he done?" "We don't know. She hasn't told a single word about it.- Sango said- She's arrived here running away from a place called Inuzuka." "Yes, I know it." Inuyasha said, making a face and showing his fangs. "Anna has killed an inu-youkai over the holy ground. When we have found her, she was in her youkai form and she had killed all the youkais behind her. She thinks soon other will arrive for her, so she wanted to go away from time." Miroku explained, serious. "Kami-sama, Inuyasha.- Kagome said, worried- Why hasn't Sesshoumaru defended her?" "Anna is not the kind of person who act without think.- Inuyasha said, darkening- I don't know her well, but she seems ok. Too much, for my brother. The only one who could reduce her so out of control is surely Sesshoumaru." "Let's go to her, Inuyasha." Kagome said. Inuyasha nodded and she went on his back. "I don't know if she'll want to talk about.- Sango advised them- She's.she seems very cold, but I think she suffers." "She'll talk, she wants it or not." Inuyasha muttered, smelling the girl in the air. She was with Shippou. "She'll talk with us, Sango." Kagome said, trusting. Inuyasha started to run to the village, leaving behind Sango and Miroku. "I hope.- Sang whispered- Talk with them can only make her feel better." In the sudden silence, Sango and Miroku noticed they were alone. Embarrassed, they walked to the village, trying to show indifference. 


	19. Heart of Youkai 19

Author's note: Don't worry, Sesshoumaru isn't forgotten! ^ ^ I only thought that he deserved a lesson after what he had done ^ ^;;; But stop with talks! I've many things to write! CHAPTER 19 WE HAD STOP TO HOPE. ""I don't like very much your idea." Anna said, cold, her eyes focused distractedly on Kaede's hands, who was lighting the fire. "I don't care if you don't like it.- Inuyasha said, stubborn- You have to tell us!" "Inuyasha!" Kagome chided him. Anna sighed, looking at the little crowd sit around her with a slightly annoyed face. The sunset was just gone and they were inside Kaede's house. Inuyasha and Kagome were returned in the village that afternoon. Anna was been.happy to see them. More or less. She didn't feel much after Inuzuka's episode. Not very much before, she had to hide her feelings because they were too much intense. Funny, isn't it? She thought if she resembled Kikyou to their eyes.or Sesshoumaru, why not? "You'll be better, Anna. Talk with us." Kagome's voice broke her thoughts and Anna looked at her. They haven't nearly greeted each other. Her and Inuyasha had started immediately with their interrogatory, and Anna, even if she appreciated Kagome's worry, and Inuyasha's strange one, hadn't so much desire of carry to the light her memories of that bad day. "It's better give her time, isn't it?- Shippou asked- She'll talk if she'll want to.Ouch! Kagome, Inuyasha has hit me!" Shippou screamed, his hands on his head. "Because you've said an idiocy, baka!" Inuyasha growled, his fist ready to hit again. "Inuyasha!- Kagome said, taking Shippou in her arms- Shippou has only said his point of view!" "It's mine also, Kagome-sama.- Miroku said, sit against the wall- I don't think it's a good thing to push her, even if you have so good intentions." "Miroku, don't tell." Inuyasha started to warn him. "I think we have to take one's time, Kagome-chan." Sango said, ignoring Inuyasha's words. Kagome lowered her eyes, thinking. "Oi! No one has asked your opinions!" Inuyasha said, annoyed. "Guys." Kaede grumbled, while the group started to argue. Anna watched the scene in front of her with a light smile. They were a wonderful group of friend, even when they argued. Since she was arrived in the village, they had found a place for her. Maybe she had to extinguish her debt. "I'll talk." she whispered. Everybody stooped to chit-chat. "What?" Inuyasha asked, uncertain. Anna made another smile and Inuyasha couldn't restrain himself to thing how distant it was. "I'll talk.- Anna repeated- I've a debt with you." "Feh! At last!" Inuyasha exclaimed, sitting with folded arms. Kagome clutched him by the rosary, angry. Anna smiled again, then started to tell, under six pairs of eyes.one of them painful amber. "After that Sesshoumaru gave me the possibility to live again inside the Palace." Anna told about everything. The month of collaboration because the near war, then Sesshoumaru's decision to call a meeting to Inuzuka and to carry her with him. She didn't describe well their travel, with a very little mention to her sleep over Sesshoumaru's tail (he had let her sleep against a tree, in the end, or not?), then she started to describe the meeting and her battle with Kima. She tell about her deed of anger and the consequent show of Sesshoumaru, in her room. "He said he didn't want to see my face again. For him, I'm dead.- Anna said, so deeply in her thoughts to don't notice the silence of her friends- I couldn't stand his contempt for me, so I decided to confess my feelings before I'd go away. So, I heard you sell me as lover to another inu-youkai." "Kami-sama." Kagome murmured, giving a look to Inuyasha. He was deadly serious. Anna made an half smile. "My anger killed my rational mind and I went crazy. I transformed myself in a inu-youkai for the first time, than I killed that perverted inu-youkai and run away, with that group of youkais behind me. And that's all." Anna ended. "What? It's all?- Sango asked, surprised- And Sesshoumaru?" "Sesshoumaru?- Anna asked, puzzled- What do you want to know?" "I mean.Didn't he try to stop you?" Sango said. "I.- Anna whispered, thinking- I don't know, I don't remember. I know he was there when I killed that inu-youkai, and maybe he had told something to me, but I don't remember. And it's unimportant." "It could be." Kagome said suddenly. Anna smiled. "Don't search gold where there isn't anything, Kagome.- she said- I've stopped." She stood up with a movement. "Now, if you let me, to tell about those days has disgusted me enough, I go out to breath fresh air." She went out. Shippou gave a look to Kagome, than went out him too, following Anna. He didn't like she stood all alone with her thoughts. After all, they had forced her to speak. "Poor, poor Anna." Kagome whispered, sad. "I'm sorry to say it, but I had a bad foreboding since the day you'd told this to us, Kagome-sama.- Miroku said, seriously- The few I know about Sesshoumaru didn't fit well with a relation with Anna." "He is been able to make her as cold as him.- Kagome said, a little angry- He could at least search her to know if she's fine or not!" "Haven't you listened, Kagome?- Inuyasha said, with an acid tone, speaking for the first time- For him, Anna is dead. When he says things like this, he's deadly serious." Giving a frustrated punch to the flat, Inuyasha raised on his feet and walked out. The mat flapped behind him, while he sat near the door, outside the warm room. The others watched his exit from the scene, then Kagome bowed her eyes. "He reacts in this way because in the end he is been fool, too.- she murmured- I can't imagine what is to have a brother who has the only desire to kill you." "Anna couldn't do miracles, Kagome-chan.- Sango tried to cheer her up- Now that she's with us, she'll forget and she'll live happily." "I only hope the youkais wouldn't find her." Kagome said, shaking her head. She didn't believe that Anna would return as some time ago. "Luckily, it's fallen much rain while she was running. Her tracks are surely disappeared. They'll have difficulty to find her." Sango said, searching Miroku with the eyes. He nodded. "It's right, and I hope so, because I fear that Anna would run away from here if she'll feel they are near. She doesn't want to put us in danger." he said, standing up. "It's her way." Kagome nodded. Sango stood up, too. "We dispel ourselves, for this evening is enough.- Miroku said- Goodnight, Kagome-sama, Kaede-sama." "Goodnight to you two." Kagome said with Kaede. "See you tomorrow morning, Kagome-chan." Sango said, going out from the house with Miroku. "'Night, Inuyasha." Inuyasha replied with a grunt. "They have take the habit to live here, haven't they?" Kagome asked, while Kaede prepared their bed. The old miko nodded. "Yes.- she answered- But Sango has wanted a house on the opposite side of Miroku's one." Kagome smiled, while she could still heard their voices from the outside. "Give me the permission to escort you, Sango. It's not safe that a woman walks in the deep night." "With you." "Sango! This is a hit to my heart!" "Right, do what you want." "I only want those two confess their feelings to each other.- Kagome murmured, laying down- If only Anna and Sesshoumaru." Kaede put out the fire and the darkness fell in the room. ** Shippou reached Anna. The girl was sit with her back against a trunk and was murmuring a song that Shippou had already heard. Eweri something, he liked it very much ( Every Heart, Shippou-chan! ^ ^ NoA). Anna noticed his presence and stopped to sing. "Shippou-chan. Why are you here?" she asked, while the little kitsune threw himself in her arms. "I didn't like you here, alone.- Shippou answered- And I was worried that you could be angry with us." "Why should I? You were only worried for me, and I appreciate this." Anna said, smiling and caressing Shippou's head. The kitsune smiled. "I'm only sorry for Inuyasha." Anna whispered. "And why?- Shippou asked, surprised- Inuyasha hates his brother." "Not enough, I think. Maybe.I've disappointed also his expectations." Anna said, looking away. Shippou looked at her, puzzled. He didn't understand what she was saying. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had ever tried to kill each other.Suddenly, he remembered Totousai's words, the day Inuyasha had caught Cutting Winds' secret. "You've no the intention to really kill your brother, haven't you?" Shippou opened her eyes wide and looked at Anna. "Maybe I've understand." he said, before he heard a sound of voices. He turned. "Miroku and Sango?" he asked, before Anna carried him behind the tree, hiding them. "Anna what." tried to ask the little kitsune. "Sst.- Anna murmured- I feel this is a good occasion." She gave a look to Shippou, that put an hand over his mouth to not laugh. ** "I'm sorry for Kagome-sama. She cares so much about this situation." Sango said, while they walked to her house. Miroku nodded but didn't replied. Sango became annoyed. Since the moment they had left Kaede's house, she talked and he replied only with deeds of his head. Sango didn't dislike to walk with him a night so beautiful, but the monk, after had asked her the permission to escort her, wasn't been so much friendly. He didn't even look at her. She gave a glance to his serious face and her stomach gripped. Sango looked away. Hell, she felt in this way only looking at him, and he didn't even looked at her! But that afternoon he had tried to kiss her, or not? Sango cheeks reddened. Bah, another lecherous and perverted trick. And she had nearly fallen into! Really mad, Sango started to walk quickly, leaving behind a surprised Miroku. "Ehi!- he called her- Ehi, Sango! Wait me!" Miroku had to run to reach her. "Sango, what's up?" he asked. She gave to him a firing glance. "What do you want?!- she asked, angry- You don't even want to talk to me, so go home!" "I don't.?! Sango, what are you saying?" the monk asked, perplexed. "Leave me alone." Sago said, but Miroku stopped her, making her turn to him. "Sango, what - are - you- saying?- Miroku almost spelled out, looking at her right in the eyes- Who has aver say that?!" "Oh, please! You have replied only in monosyllables, while I tried to talk with you!- Sango said, annoyed- You don't act in this way with Kagome-chan, or with those girls." Sango bit her tongue. Now Miroku would surely fool her because her jealousy, and in this way she would be forced to hit him.but without Hiraikotsu, she had forget it inside Kaede's house. But Miroku looked at her with a penitent air. "Forgive me, Sango.- he said- I heard, but.well, I'm very nervous, this evening." Sango looked at him in surprise. Didn't happen often that Miroku explained his real feelings. She felt she was a stupid about become mad so easily. "Ah.I understand. It's because the story of." Sango whispered, lowering her eyes. "Ehm, no, it's not because that." Something in his voice forced her to look at him another time. She could be wrong, but.Miroku seemed embarrassed. "I was thinking about this afternoon.- Miroku confessed, scratching his neck with one finger- More precisely, about what.what Inuyasha, with his typical grace, has interrupted." Sango's face flamed. The girl noticed in that moment that in the area there were only her and Miroku. Her heart started to beat madly. "I was wondering.- Miroku cleared his voice- how to rescue what I've lost without give the image of a lecherous perverted one. I was wondering how.how to tell." "What?" Sango asked, almost without voice. It was too much beautiful to be true. Now, Miroku would say something to destroy all the atmosphere, or would try to touch her behind, as always "That I.she.- Miroku muttered- Ah I haven't ever had so much difficult with words." He took a deep breath, then drew Sango to him and kissed her briefly on her lips. "I love you.- he whispered against her lips- Wow, I've said it! What a fatigue!" His mouth was immediately closed by Sango's one, who started a passionate and undisturbed kiss. "It was time, baka." Sango said, when they ended the kiss. Miroku smiled. In the trees, two peoples known gave to each other a five. ** Kagome went out from Kaede's house. All was dark and silent, the night was deep. She went to the sit figure near the house, folded arms. It was full moon, and the light was all over Inuyasha, making his silver hair shine and showing his handsome face. Kagome sighed sadly, at the sight of his serious face. She had hoped their problem were finished with Naraku, but Inuyasha had other thoughts. One was his brother. Inuyasha turned to her, noticing her presence. "Don't you sleep?" he asked. Kagome shook her head, sitting near him. "I can't.- she said- You're not with me." Inuyasha smiled lightly but didn't reply. "They were wrong, and I was right." he said, after some moments. "Mmh? What?" Kagome asked, puzzled. Inuyasha laid his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Anna and my father. They were wrong about Sesshoumaru- the new youkai explained, reopening his eyes and sighing- And I was right." "Are you sorry for this?" Kagome asked. "I don't know.- Inuyasha murmured, darkening- I don't know." Kagome took away a lock of hair from his forehead with gentle hand, looking at him with worry. Inuyasha turned to her and smiled, than kissed her. "I'm glad you're with me, Kagome.- he whispered, hugging her and smelling her scent- My life is life since the day you're with me." He kissed her again on her forehead, than laid his head over her one. The two fell asleep in this way. ** The youkai was in trouble. He had searched everywhere without results. Even the rain had played against him. For weeks, he had idled, following the humans' chit-chats. The big golden dog. It seemed to be everywhere and nowhere in the same time. He couldn't keep faith in human's words. There was a war prepared for him, but in that moment he didn't care much. His first point was to find the golden dog before they could find it. The others were after him. They hoped he would carry them to the golden dog. Fools, if they really believed he would help them. The servants hadn't found it. Better. he knew that the golden dog had killed the first group of servants, and the thing hadn't surprised him. He wondered how would be their meeting. Fool thought, he had to find it, first. "Where are you, Anna?" he murmured, looking all around. He had searched everywhere. Where could she be hidden? Surely she was no more in her inu- youkai form, because he would feel her immediately. He knew her well.maybe not that well. In fact, he had lost her and now he didn't find her. "Where are you?- he asked again, listening the wind- Where is your shelter?" He opened his eyes wide. There was a place he hadn't visit, yet.a place he wanted to avoid, but now he found it as the only answer. She had a liking for that bastard, hadn't she? "Leave alone your brother!" she had cried to him. "Are you with Inuyasha, Anna?" he growled, while an anger he had rarely felt burned in his veins. Was it.jealousy? It wasn't important. If only Inuyasha had dared to touch her, he would pay for this. With his followers still far from him, Sesshoumaru started to run to Inuyasha's village. 


	20. Heart of Youkai 20

Author's note: Sorry for this delay, I've had many problems this week! Ses- chan, Inu-chan and the other's aren't mine but of Rumiko Takahashi, but Anna is really mine. Good reading! CHAPTER 20 I'VE TRIED "WHAAAAAAT??!!!- Kagome exclaimed, smiling and looking at the girl with shining eyes- Finally, Sango!!" Sango, embarrassed, smiled nervously and made her deed to lower her voice. "And when it's happened? And how?- Kagome went on, excited- Oh, Sango-chan, you don't know how much I'm happy for you!" Sango smiled and blushed. "Well, it's happened while he escorted me to home, last night." Sango murmured, forced to tell the entire story. Anna looked at the two and smiled. Finally, Miroku had confessed his love and Sango had made the same. Anna shook her head, while Kagome forced Sango to tell everything, and went away, walking to the forest. Kaede-sama needed firewood and Anna had offered herself to go on that errand. After all, she was inactive from time. "Anna!" The youkai girl went out from her thought and looked in front of her, while she walked through the rice field. Miroku was greeting her with a waving hand, while near him Inuyasha had a dark face. "Good morning." Anna greeted, smiling. "Godd morning to you, Anna!- Miroku replied- The sunlight makes you radiant." Anna laughed lightly and Inuyasha made a face. "Miroku, you're pretty disgusting." he said. "You'd have to learn how to pay compliments, if you don't want that Kagome- sama goes in search of a gentleman like me." the monk said laconically. "Oi! What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked, half aggressive, half worried. "Where are you going?" Miroku asked to Anna, ignoring the annoyed youkai. "I'm going to take some firewood. I'll be away for some minutes, not more.- Anna answered- By the way, Miroku, it's better you'll deserve such compliments to Sango, from now on." Inuyasha looked at the two with a puzzled face, while Miroku's calm face was replaced by a surprised and embarrassed one. "Ehm.do you already know it?" Miroku asked, laughing nervously and caressing his neck with one hand. Anna nodded with a smile. "You know what?- Inuyasha asked, annoyed to be the only one ignoring the topic of conversation- What's happened with Sango? I don't." He stopped, than pointed a finger against Miroku. "I've understand! What have you done this time?- he said, with an arrogant air- You are the same pervert as always!" "No, you haven't understand." Anna said. "Don't you see my face has the same form as ever?- Miroku asked, sighing with resignation- You've a poor spirit of observation, my friend." "And what's happened, then?" Inuyasha asked, puzzled. "I would keep the secret, because you're a group of intruder,- Miroku said, resigned, rolling the staff in his hands- but.well.Me and Sango have declared to each other, last night." "You have done what?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku looked at him very badly. "Must I to spell it out to you?" he growled. Anna noticed the monk was really embarrassed. Inuyasha hit his palm with his fist, understanding. "Ah, I've understand! You two.- he opened his eyes wide- Kagome had reason about you two! Congratulations!" He gave a slap over Miroku's shoulders, making him almost turning over. Inuyasha became serious and started to thinking. "But I really can't understand why Sango wants to marry a lecherous monk like you." he said after one moment. "How do you dare?!" Miroku said. Anna laughed and the guy remembered from where all that was started. "By the way, Anna, how have you known it?- he asked- Sango." "Kagome has forced her to tell everything." Anna admitted, smiling in front of the evident discouragement of Miroku. She didn't mention the fact she and Shippou had watched the scene directly the last night. Inuyasha tried to not laugh and Miroku sighed again. Anna passed through them, started again to walk. "See you later. I go for the firewood." she said, waving an hand. Inuyasha and Miroku returned serious when she was far from them. "She seems.normal." Inuyasha said, corrugating his forehead. "She has talked about me and Sango with naturalness, she doesn't seem a girl with a love's delusion.- Miroku said- I wonder what she really thinks." "If only I'd have here Sesshoumaru, I'd surely break his head with my hands.- Inuyasha said, squeezing his fists and giving his back to Anna's distant figure- He's been so blind and fool to make her run away from him." "Inuyasha, you." Miroku said, watching the youkai's anger. "Don't misunderstand me.- Inuyasha advised him, annoyed, pointing a finger to him- I don't care about my brother. I'm only sorry because my father's wish can't be realized." "I haven't said anything, yet." Miroku defended himself, walking to the village. "Do you really think I don't know what pass through your mind?- Inuyasha replied, following him- But Now I've a weapon against you! I may tell to Sango about the day you've spied her." "No, Inuyasha! Please, I don't want to die." Miroku groaned. "Mmh, we'll see." the youkai laughed. "Well, in this case I'll say to Kagome-sama about." "Ehi, I'm not like you! What are you insinuating?!" The argue went on for more time. ** The evening after, the friends organized an 'outside dinner'. There wasn't official reasons.but they all knew it was a Kagome's idea to celebrate the new couple. They ate and drunk, joking and remembering the time they started the search of Shikon no Tama. Anna was very interested about their stories and she confronted them with the story she had read, adding something when they tried to give a very partial version of facts, especially Inuyasha. "Anna know it better than us, it seems." Miroku said, impressed. "I know even your deepest thoughts." Anna said, with a prophetic voice. They stood in silence, thinking with terror what compromising they could have thought, and Anna started to laugh. "You'd to see your faces!" she said, giggling. "You'd have the same faces." Inuyasha grumbled, while the others started to laugh, too. He smiled against his will. Finally a spontaneous laugh from that ' Sesshoumaru in feminine form'. When they ended to eat, Inuyasha and Miroku laid down, satiated, while Anna, Sango and Kagome started to sing a song. "It's really nice. What's it?" Miroku asked to Shippou, who was murmuring the song to himself while the girls sang the first refrain. "It's a song from Anna's world. It's called Mai Wiri or something like that (My Will, Shippou-chan ^ ^;;;; NoA)- Shippou explained- She has taught it to the girls this afternoon, and they are been very happy to learn it." Shippou made a mischievous smile to Inuyasha and Miroku. "You've a weird face to be a child, Shippou." Miroku said, perplexed. "Speak it loud, brat." Inuyasha said, too much calm for being really aggressive. "Don't you hear how all consuming is this love-song?- Shippou asked, with puppet eyes, joining his hands in a very feminine way- Anna has said it's composed for something concerning our story, in particular the relationship through you and the girls." Miroku and Inuyasha stood. The song ended. Kirara yawned. "IN this case." Miroku murmured. He stood up from the ground and approached Sango, whispering something to her ear. The girl blushed and nodded. "You forgive us, don't you?" Miroku said, helping her to raise up with gallantry. Kagome and Anna nodded and smiled at them. Miroku went away with Sango arm in arm. Passing near Inuyasha, he winked to him. "Take advantage you too." he murmured. Inuyasha stood for one second, then he had a vision of what could mean 'take advantage' in Miroku's slang and reddened (Inu-chan, Miroku didn't want to mean that.^ ^;;; NoA). Shippou yawned. "I go to sleep.- he said, while Kirara stretched, ready to follow him- Anna, Kagome, don't you come with me?" "Soon, Shippou-chan." Anna answered. "Goodnight, Shippou-chan." Kagome said. Shippou went away with Kirara and around the campfire stood only three of them. Anna raised up pretty soon, preferring to avoid to play gooseberry. "Well, it's better I go to sleep too." she said, even if she wasn't tired. It was better to leave the couple alone. Inuyasha panicked. His heart bet two thousand time at minute and he felt Kagome's presence in a very painful way. There was only a way to suffocate that pain.but Inuyasha didn't want to force Kagome, not even for only one moment. Better do not risk to lose his control.and damn to Miroku and his allusive words! So, sighing sadly inside, Inuyasha said: "It's better you go to sleep too, Kagome. I want to carry you in one beautiful place, tomorrow, and we'll have to leave soon in the morning." "Really, Inuyasha?- Kagome asked, excited, do not understanding his tribulation- Oh, thanks! In this case, I go with Anna." She approached the youkai and kissed him on a cheek, hugging him for one moment. "Goodnight." she said again, with that sweet voice that made him going crazy. "Night." Inuyasha replied, with hoarse voice. He caught Anna's glance, that seemed to say: "Sooner or later, you'd have to find the guts to face the matter." The youkai turned his face and Anna walked away with Kagome. Inuyasha stood near the campfire for a while, then he put it out and went jumping to the forest, stopping over a Goshinboku's branch. He landed his head over the trunk, leaving to the fresh air of the evening the work to put out his hot- temper. Recently, Kagome's kisses weren't enough, but Inuyasha had too much fear to hurt her. He was a full youkai, now, but he had still his hanyou's appearance. Inuyasha knew that his youkai's appearance was different, but he hadn't transformed himself. He didn't want. He didn't want to do anything that could estrange him from Kagome.or could make him more similar to Sesshoumaru. Thinking about the way Sesshoumaru had treated Anna, and about the fact he had his same blood inside his veins, Inuyasha shivered. Kagome would never had to bear such things from him. Caught by his thoughts, he didn't notice the presence of someone else till this someone went out from the trees and approached the Goshinboku. He bowed his eyes, disturbed. "Anna." he said, recognizing the girl. "Do I disturb you?" she asked. Inuyasha shook his shoulder, indifferent. Anna smiled lightly. "You're a little cowardly, do you know?" she tensed him. Inuyasha made a face. "You don't know my reasons, so shut up." he said, annoyed, folding his arms. Anna shrugged her shoulders. "I've an idea about them.- she murmured- But you and he are different, Inuyasha. Don't torment yourself. Kagome loves you for what you are. For ALL what you are." Inuyasha stood silent, thinking. "I wanted to say you that I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Anna said. Inuyasha looked again at her, surprised. "You're sorry? For what?!" he asked, puzzled. Anna caressed distractedly Goshinboku's bark. "I've disappointed your father, but I've not a chance to say him that I'm sorry. I wanted to say it to you, at least." she whispered. She raised her eyes to him. "I'm sorry, I am not been able to reach his heart. I've tried, but I'm not been able." Inuyasha opened his eyes wide. "Feh! Are you crazy or what?!- he asked, jumping out from the branch to look at her face- I'm not involved. For what I care, Sesshoumaru could drown himself just now! You are the one who loved him, and is hurt for this!" Anna made a strange smile. "I only wanted to say it. Now I feel better." Anna said, turning to go away. "Do you still love him?" Inuyasha asked. Anna turned again. "Kagome.Kagome believes that he is still inside your heart.- Inuyasha said- And she believes.that he too feels something for you, deeply inside of him. Maybe she has reason, because I've never seen him like he was when he stood with you." Anna stood silent for so much time that she seemed like another tree of the forest. "I've tried.- she said, with an empty voice- But now, all I want is forget him. I don't care about what he feels. Simply, I don't want to see him anymore." Her face softened. Anna raised one hand and caressed Inuyasha's face. "But I thank you. You're kind, Inuyasha." Said that, she turned and walked away, disappearing to the village. Inuyasha shook his head and raised his face to the sky, deciding he had thought enough for that evening. In that moment, his heart made a terrible jump. "What." he said, with one hand over his heart. He felt his blood pulsing in his veins, beating madly inside his temples. He felt himself.out of control. "What's happening?" he growled, frightened. For what reason his youkai's blood was reacting in that way? Inuyasha forced himself to calm down and analyze the situation from a rational point of view. His body needed to fight, he was extremely tensed. Why? He hadn't reasons, he was even melancholy some moments before! Inuyasha understood those sensations were caused by something his youkai's instincts had reached before his rational mind.something that was calling him and came from outside his own body. With two jumps he was on the top of Goshinboku, sharpening his senses. West. That feeling came from west. It run to him at an incredible speed. It was focused on him, but it didn't seem a desired effect, but a consequence because.someone was approaching. Inuyasha closed his eyes. his blood rumbled because someone was near.someone with his same smell.the same aura.he was near. "Kami-sama.He's Sesshoumaru." he murmured, astonished. Sesshoumaru was approaching the village. The feeling that pushed him were so intense that had found an echo in his brother's blood. Jealousy.anger.desperation.Inuyasha took the control over his body with difficulty. He didn't ever suspect Sesshoumaru could feel that kind of feelings. He hadn't ever felt anything coming from him, besides coldness. He hadn't ever wondered that Sesshoumaru's blood could be so strong to drive his one, in the case he had felt something intense. And now he felt, and how he felt! "You're a stupid.- Inuyasha whispered- Well, at least, big brother." He jumped down from the tree and run to the village. He had to take that situation in his hands. ** "Kagome." Kagome awoke with difficulty and opened her sleepy eyes on Inuyasha, who was stooped down in front of her. "Inu." she started to say, trying to stand up, but Inuyasha reduce her to silence putting a gentle hand over her mouth. "Sesshoumaru is coming here." Inuyasha murmured, looking nervously at the door. Anna wasn't there but she could return at any moment. Kagome opened her eyes wide. "You had reason, he feels something for her. He's searching her, I've felt it." Kagome asked him to go on with her eyes. "I go to him. I want to give another chance to those stubborn two, even if I'd have to break Sesshoumaru's head. Please, cover my absence." "And how?" Kagome asked, while Inuyasha took away his hand from her mouth. "I don't know, you'll think something.- he said, briefly, than he kissed her on her lips- I love you." Smiling, Inuyasha went out from Kaede's house. Kagome smiled, than laid down, searching a good excuse to justify Inuyasha's absence. ** Sesshoumaru felt the familiar presence much time before reach it. Inuyasha.he had the guts to face him, after all. At least, he wasn't a coward. He had to force him to tell where Anna was, then he'd rid himself from him and go to take her.but what would happen when they finally meet? Hell, better not to think about it. Anna, Anna, Anna! The thought of her was becoming unbearable. Her smile, her golden hair.her beautiful soul. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe he had called her a liar. She was so sweet and clean. He needed her, he couldn't stand without her. He had cursed himself innumerable times, but no one could forgive him besides her. And meanwhile the part most deep-rooted inside him, cold and sarcastic, flung underhanded to his face in what condition of prostration he had reduced himself, the great Sesshoumaru, in bale of incomprehensible feelings caused by a simple woman.but Anna was all besides a simple woman, for him. He had to have her at all costs. Even at cost of suffering. He was already suffering, wasn't he? He saw a flash of red through the green, than Inuyasha appeared in front of him. Sesshoumaru stopped his steps and the two looked at each other. "Tell me where she is and I'll let you live." Sesshoumaru said, snapping his poisoning fingers. "Feh! We were near to stop our wait of you, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha said, tapping his fingernail over Tetsusaiga's scabbard. Sesshoumaru attacked him suddenly, but Inuyasha avoided. "Calm down.- Inuyasha said- It's better for you to listen, because when Anna will feel your presence, she'll run away another time." A flash of anger passed inside Sesshoumaru's eyes. "Give me my answer and this waste of time will end." "I'll give you your answer.- Inuyasha said, making a face- And with it another chance. But it's better for you to listen, or you'll lost Anna forever." Sesshoumaru started to reply coldly, then he noticed how serious was his brother. For the first time in decades, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stood for some minutes looking at each other without attack or try to kill the other, than Sesshoumaru nodded. "Fine, speak.- he said- For a single time, I'll listen to you." 


	21. Heart of Youkai 21

Author's note: I don't know what to write, I'm deeply inside the story! So, good reading, I hope you'll like this chapter ^ ^ Warning: These are the last chapters, so they could end on a moment of tension ^ ^;; Don't kill me for this, please ^ ^;;;;;;;; CHAPTER 21 BROTHERS "Well, we could start analyzing your actions, my brother." Inuyasha said, sarcastic, sitting on the ground. Sesshoumaru looked at him like he was a strange animal. "Don't lengthen our talk more than the necessary.- he said, annoyed, sitting- I haven't so much time to waste." "You've the eternity in front of you, if you'll talk with me for an hour the world doesn't stop to spin!" Inuyasha said, acid. "I'm followed, imbecile." Sesshoumaru froze him. "Followed?- Inuyasha asked, surprised- Who are." "Doesn't Anna tell you about." Sesshoumaru started. "About Inuzuka? Certain.- Inuyasha ended the phrase, understanding- The Family is still searching her?! Damned bastards." Inuyasha showed his fangs, remembering his only meeting with the inu-youkai's Family. A remember he preferred to cancel. How many humiliations for him.and for his poor mother.and the youkai in front of him didn't give an hand to him. He gave him a cold glance, but Sesshoumaru was deep inside his thoughts. "You've said she's dead for you. Why are you searching her?- Inuyasha asked, making Sesshoumaru return on the earth- Do you want to lead them to her?" "Don't talk nonsense.- Sesshoumaru said, annoyed- I don't care about Family's laws. My will is my law." Inuyasha restrained himself to sigh. Sesshoumaru had an enormous self-confidence. "Ok, but if you don't care about Family's revenge, why by the hell are you here?" he asked. Sesshoumaru didn't answered. "Why do you want to see Anna? Haven't you hurt her enough?" Inuyasha asked, chasing him. Sesshoumaru shot him dead with his eyes. "You, don't dare to judge my actions." Sesshoumaru said coldly. Inuyasha started to get angry. "But I care about your actions, because Anna is our friend!" he said, dry. Sesshoumaru made a face. "Friend?" he asked, puzzled. "Yes, a friend, you stupid fool!- Inuyasha cried- And you are the only damned brother I have, even if we try to kill each other every time we meet!" Sesshoumaru looked at him in silence and Inuyasha regretted immediately his words. "Feh! I don't care about you, but our father wanted that you, beast, could be happy and I can't ignore his desire!" "It was true." Sesshoumaru whispered. "Anna doesn't lie." Inuyasha said. He was surprised when he saw him paling slightly. He sighed and tried to calm down. "Listen, it's better to reach the point, because we are only getting angry.- Inuyasha said, trying to be a mature person- You are here to take her with you because you've repented of what you've done to her, and look at your face it's enough to understand it." Sesshoumaru's face became icing and Inuyasha shook his head. " Ehi, it's not a disgrace.- he said, resigned- It's a progress, from the icicle you were. It's not a dishonor even if you admit you love her." Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. "Do I love her?" he asked more to himself than to Inuyasha. Inuyasha was near to fall on the ground. "A.are you saying you don't know it?!" he asked, stunned. Sesshoumaru looked at him with annoyance, than made a distract deed with his hand. "What can I know about your fool human feelings?" he said, looking away. Inuyasha stood open mouth. "You are more stupid than me, I can't believe it." he murmured after a moment, suffocating a laugh when he said his brother's glance. "Listen,- he said- we can do a thing. You tell me about your sensations and I translate them to you. I'm more expert than you about this kind of things, don't you think so?" "What would I do?- Sesshoumaru asked, pretty puzzled- I'd to explain my." Sesshoumaru darkened and stood up, giving his back to his brother. "It's out of the question. You're annoying, idiot creature." Sesshoumaru said. "Well, consider that I'll not carry you to her if you don't really love her.- Inuyasha said, stood up him too and starting to walk away in the direction he was come from- And without me, she'll run away." Sesshoumaru made an angry face. The only thought of disembowel his feelings filled him of a so deeply uneasiness he felt his stomach squeeze. He wasn't able to admit them to himself, so he wasn't certain able to explain them. He didn't want to explain them! There was nothing more embarrassing and humiliating!! ( I understand you, Ses-chan ç_ç NoA) Put his heart in Inuyasha's hands.the only thought made him feel sick! His bastard brother would have a power on him he didn't deserve. Damned Anna! It was her fault if he was so humiliated now! Sesshoumaru sighed. No, it wasn't Anna's fault. He wanted her at all costs. At all costs. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was really annoyed. His brother was still silent. Grunting, he turned, deciding it was time to use bad manners. "When she is with me." Sesshoumaru said. Inuyasha stopped. "I.feel.warmth in all my body. And I'm not talking about physical desire, in this case the problem wouldn't exist." Sesshoumaru went on, saying every word with an effort of will. "When she sang, I couldn't restrain myself to stop my activities and go to the window to listen.- Sesshoumaru said, concentrated like he was in a battle- The only sight of her made my heartbeat grow fast." Inuyasha's face softened. Sesshoumaru was making a big effort. He couldn't see his face. but Sesshoumaru's fist were tight and his arms and his back trembled because the tension. For the first time in his life, Inuyasha understood his brother's torment. "That warmth.- he helped him- you felt it especially when she smiled at him, didn't you?" "Yes." Sesshoumaru answered. "And when she was near you, or she touched you by chance?" Inuyasha asked again. Hell, those were exactly his feelings for Kagome! "Well, yes." Sesshoumaru replied, annoyed. He turned to Inuyasha and became surprised when he saw that his brother was on tenterhooks as he was. "And now what you have, baka? I'm the one that feels uneasy, here, or you?" he asked, sarcastic. "Feh! I can't stood this mawkishness, too, what are you thinking?- Inuyasha said, blushing and looking away with an annoyed air- It may be a family trait." Sesshoumaru stood in silence. For the first time, he noticed his common traits with his bastard brother. And, for the first time in his life, he didn't feel so disgusted by the thing. "A woman is been able to change me like this?!" he asked to himself, corrugating his forehead. "By the way." Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru returned to the reality and looked at his brother. ".this is love, my brother. You've done so much foolishness, but only because you didn't want to admit your love. Because this, you've nearly lost her!" "Ok, I've understand.- Sesshoumaru said, closing the question- Now that you are satisfied, let's go to her." "I've to advise you, Sesshoumaru. She has said she doesn't want to see you again." Inuyasha said, serious. Sesshoumaru had some problems to not show his pain at those words. "How am I reduced." he thought, annoyed. "But I think there's still your shadow inside her heart.- Inuyasha went on- I'll carry you to her, then it will be your task to find the right word to convince her." Sesshoumaru darkened and Inuyasha gave him a slap over his shoulder to encourage him. Sesshoumaru tried to hit him with a punch, really annoyed, but Inuyasha avoided, laughing. "Courage, we'll succeed!" he said to his brother, smiling. Sesshoumaru looked at him, stunned, and Inuyasha gave him a perplex glance. Sesshoumaru looked away and shook his head. "Recently, people smile at me for strange reasons." he murmured, uneasy. "Yeah, well.don't expect this from me often.- Inuyasha muttered, turning- Let's go." The two started to run to the village. ** "When is been the last time I've smiled at him? Have I ever done it?" Inuyasha asked to himself, while he run side by side with his big brother. He gave him a strange glance. Well, yes, but much, very much time ago. Inuyasha thought against his will about the first time he had met his brother, one hundred and twenty years ago, more or less. He lived in the Palace, at the time. he was only a little hanyou surrounded by his father and mother's love. He didn't have a single idea about his future, or about what peoples could it about him. He didn't even know the meaning of 'bastard' or 'half-breed', words that would follow him for his entire life. He remembered that, when he was six, an inu-youkai very similar to his father was arrived at the Palace. Inuken had introduced him as his older brother, Sesshoumaru, returned from a long trip. Inuyasha had looked at the youkai, who wasn't very different from the today's Sesshoumaru, and noticing the similarities through them had made him happy. Finally he could have someone else to play with! He could have a friend.hell, a brother! Wonderful, he had thought! Sesshoumaru had greeted him politely, but Inuyasha hadn't noticed his coldness and had replied with a bright smile. His older brother had replied with a very light one. In the next years, Inuyasha had seen Sesshoumaru not very often, but the youkai was been polite and, if not thoughtful, kind. All the problems started few days before Inuken's death. An evening, Inuyasha had heard his father and Sesshoumaru argue with violence, then Sesshoumaru came out from a room, slamming the door. Seeing him, the youkai had gave him a look that had made his mouth dry, before returning normal and greeting him lightly. Inuyasha had asked to his father what was the problem, but he hadn't answered, hugging his little son in silence. Two weeks later, his father was dead. Sesshoumaru was disappeared after the battle into Inuken had found his death and the Big Family inu-youkai had occupied the Palace and he and his mother were been forced to run away. The two had found a refuge in the mountains and there, a night, Sesshoumaru had found him. Inuyasha had woken up with his brother's bloody and ruffled face in front of his one, while a Sesshoumaru's hand pushed him against the wall, suffocating him. Inuyasha was paralyzed by the hate he could read inside his brother's eyes. In that moment he realized what he was been for his brother: less than nothing. "Where's Tetsusaiga?" Sesshoumaru had asked in a hiss. Inuyasha could only stand in silence, didn't knowing what Sesshoumaru was talking about. "Give it to me, damned brat!" Sesshoumaru had said, ready to transfix him with his poisoned claws.for the first time. Inuyasha didn't react that time. He was too much little, he couldn't fight. His mother saved him, putting herself through him and Sesshoumaru, and the youkai went away. Maybe he didn't want to offend his father's memory. "Sooner or later, you'll die, wench.- Sesshoumaru had said, before going away- And then I'll kill your son and take the inheritance I deserve!" And so he had done, more or less. Since the day Inuyasha's mother was dead, the young hanyou had found himself forced to avoid or face every kind of attacks from his brother, who had followed him everywhere, searching Tetsusaiga's power. Inuyasha's power was inferior than Sesshoumaru's one, but he didn't ever lost a fight. Inuyasha hadn't ever asked to himself why, simply being happy to be still alive and hating Sesshoumaru every day more. Now, running at his side for the first time in his life, Inuyasha asked to himself how this could be possible. Sesshoumaru had ever hesitated to land the final blow.was it possible he had impediment about really kill his brother? Moved, Inuyasha gave a look to Sesshoumaru. Maybe, Anna had made more miracle than she thought. "When will we arrive?" Sesshoumaru asked, noticing that his brother didn't have difficulties in follow him at that speed. That Shikon no Tama had worked well. "Tomorrow morning." Inuyasha answered. "Can I know your plan, if you please?" Sesshoumaru asked, sarcastic. Inuyasha made a little smile. "Have you ever noticed how much our smells and yukis are similar?- Inuyasha asked, ignoring the ironic face of his brother- I've the intention to cover your presence with mine. Anna is enough calm, inside the village, she will not notice you till it will be too late." "There's still difference through our yukis, my brother.- Sesshoumaru replied, dry- Your plan leaks." "Wait a moment." Inuyasha murmured, concentrating. Sesshoumaru watched with surprise Inuyasha's transformation. He became a full youkai. His hair became more fine, taking a good resemblance with his one. The dog's hair disappeared, and appeared pointed ears. Three red signs, one on the forehead and two on the cheeks, appeared over his face. His yuki became more powerful. "Not too bad, isn't it?" Inuyasha asked, with a grin. "Why don't you stay in this form, idiot?- Sesshoumaru asked, sarcastic- I can't understand your stubbornness about your stupid hanyou's appearance." "How he's similar to our father." he thought, against his will. "I do it because Kagome.- Inuyasha said, darkening- I don't want she could think that my soul is changed, too. For her, I'll be forever the Inuyasha she has known and loved." "Your mate?" Sesshoumaru asked, remembering the black hair miko. Inuyasha nodded. "So, I'll cover you only till we'll be near the village.- he said- There, you'll have to arrange." Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at each other with an arrogant smile, the they went on to run in silence. "Anna, you haven't an idea about the miracle you've done.- Inuyasha thought- Please, gave him another chance." ** "What's up, Kagome?" Anna asked, looking with a perplex face the girl. Kagome returned on the earth suddenly, smiling. "Mmh? Oh, nothing! Why?" she asked, continuing to pick up berries. Anna made a face. "Because is an half hour you're picking up leaves instead of berries, Kagome." the youkai girl said, pointing his basket. Kagome stopped, blushing. "Kagome-chan can't act very well." Sango sighed, giving a look to Miroku and Shippou. Inuyasha was gone to find Sesshoumaru two days ago. They all knew, besides Anna. Kagome had said to her he was in search of the old Myoga. She didn't seem really persuaded, but she hadn't asked anything, luckily. But that morning Kagome was on the clouds. The thought of Inuyasha fighting alone with Sesshoumaru made her feel nervous, and the thing was clear to the eyes of everyone. and to Anna's eyes too. "Is it because Inuyasha?" Anna asked, corrugating her forehead. "No, I.- Kagome started to replied, but she caught Sango's glance and nodded- Well, yes, it is. We are been near from time and now.to be separated.I'm a bit nervous." "Mmh, I understand." Anna murmured. The other made a sigh of relief, than the girl smiled and raised her head to the west. "Good news, Kagome! Inuyasha's near, he's coming!" Anna said, pointing the direction. The girl stopped the movement, while her smile faded away in a perplex expression. "Finally." Kagome whispered, relieved. "What's up, Anna?- Sango asked, smiling to hide the tension- Aren't you happy about Inuyasha's return?" "His yuki.is more powerful than the usual.- Anna murmured, darkening- It's strange." She opened her eyes wide and looked at the other. "What.there's someone with him." she said. The others looked at each other, pretending ignorance. TUM: Anna's heart made a jump and her veins filled with adrenaline. "It can't be.- Anna whispered, stunned- Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha how have you could?!" "Anna, listen." tried to calm her Kagome. "NO!" Anna cried, giving to them an hurt glance. She turned and started to run. "An." Kagome started to say. "ANNA!" the voice arrived only a second before the white flash that passed through the friend and started to follow Anna. Inuyasha arrived a moment later. "Crap.- the inu-youkai panted- She has noticed him immediately!" "He was Sesshoumaru, wasn't he?- Kagome asked, clutching his red kariginu- We were right!" Inuyasha nodded. "He was searching her from weeks.- he said- Hell, they're running fast! Let's go after them, I don't want anything strange happen." "Strange? What do you mean?" Miroku asked, while Inuyasha took Kagome over his back. "The inu-youkais are following us. I don't want they could attack them in such a critical moment." Inuyasha said, starting to run. "The Inu-youkais? Damn." Miroku murmured, looking at the two. "Do you come up? Or do you want to stay here?" Miroku turned to Sango, who was already on Kirara's back with Shippou, and smiled. "I could never be separate from you, Sango-chan." the monk said, going up while Kirara started to run after those strange runners. 


	22. Heart of Youkai 22

Author's note: ^ ^ Help, it's almost finisheeeeeeeeeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHAPTER 22 MY LIFE FOR YOU Her only thought was run. Anna was hurt because the betrayal of Inuyasha and who she considered friends. Naturally, they thought they had acted well, but they hadn't a single idea about the pain they had caused to her. Anna set her teeth, running with her eyes closed. Her heart.it made her feel pain in all her body. Only smelling Sesshoumaru's scent, after all those weeks of distance, of torpor, had hit her deep inside, destroying with one shot the dam. Her feeling had flowed another time from her heart in an uncontrolled tide. Anna made a suffocated cry, hearing that the youkai was gaining ground. It was been ever more fast than her.and more strong.and more evil. "Please, somebody, kill me!- she thought, deranged, while her throat was closed by her tears- I don't want to feel this pain anymore! Why can't I live feeling nothing?!" "Anna!" Sesshoumaru cried. His voice hit her like one hundred swords. Anna avoided Sesshoumaru's hands, outstretched to her, and cried in pain. "Leave me alone!" she said, trying to run more fast. She didn't care about her lungs in flame. She didn't care about her tired legs. She could stand everything, if only that damned heart would stop to hurt.stop to beat so fast. In that moment, Sesshoumaru clutched a sleeve of her kimono. Anna's run was stopped and the girl was dragged behind and forced to turn. "Let me go!" Anna screamed, with her head bowed and her eyes closed. She felt Sesshoumaru's hands take her arms. God, his hands.The desperation, the sadness Anna had inside were untenable. His presence.so near, by the hell, but also so far from her. "Why do you torment me? Why do you want me dead inside? You leave me nothing, you hurt me!" she thought. Every heartbeat was another wave of pain. "No, don't touch me! You're hurting me, don't touch me!" Anna cried, moving furiously in his arms like a wild cat. "Anna, stop it." Sesshoumaru said, almost sweet. Anna felt his hands tremble lightly, like if Sesshoumaru was afraid to really hurt her.like the night he had said she was dead for him. "Why Inuyasha has done this to me?!- Anna cried, trying to free herself with her eyes still closed- All them! Why do you hurt me? Why do you always hurt me?! Go away! Please, go away!" "I can't.- Sesshoumaru said- Simply, I can't." Anna stopped to fight, upset, tired. She stood unmoving inside Sesshoumaru's arms, silent like a doll. "Don't ask me this, Anna.- Sesshoumaru whispered- I've searched you everywhere, and Inuyasha has helped me. He has done this for me.and for you too." Anna didn't reply, neither move. Sesshoumaru's hands trembled again, but the youkai pressed his lips, recovering his self-control. Did she hate him so much? All, all of her pushed him away.why? Now he had found her.he only wanted she would smiled at him again. But she didn't even look at him. Her eyes were focused on the ground. "Look at me, Anna.- he said, with low voice- I must to talk with you." Again, she didn't move. Sesshoumaru's heart wrung. He can't stood this! He had thought innumerable times about their meeting, about the words he would to say when he'd see her again. He had thought night and day about the changing of her face, while he'd calmed down her anger, bringing her back to his side.and nothing would divide them after this. But this lack of reactions.Sesshoumaru wasn't ever been ignored. He didn't know what to do. "Anna." he called her again, uncertain. She was there, so near, but also so distant. Her pale face was so beautiful, in spite of lines of pain and sorrow were over it. Her eyes were hidden by her lowered eyelids.by her long and black eyelashes. Sesshoumaru's soul trembled because what he felt. "How.how I've missed you." he thought. "Anna.look at me." he whispered again, moving an hand to her face and caressing lightly her cheek. Finally she started to move. She trembled slightly at Sesshoumaru's touch, then raised up her head.Sesshoumaru suffocated an exclamation of pain when Anna bit his hand with violence. He left her go and made a step behind, so Anna could claw his face and jump away. "DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" Anna cried, squeezing her fists and looking at Sesshoumaru in anger. Sesshoumaru didn't care about the blood that was flowing from his hand and face, but paled in front of the hartred and the pain inside Anna's eyes, finally focused on him. And Anna paled her too, unprepared to the effect the sight of his face could have over her crumbling armour around her heart. Sesshoumaru saw Anna's face became so suffering that he tore apart. "It's all my fault." Sesshoumaru murmured, while Anna closed her eyes, near to break in two because the pain she felt. "No! It's too much, I can't stand it!- the youkai said to himself- It's like the time I've lost my mother.and my only friend.and then my father." Immediately, the rational part of Sesshoumaru tried to active the only defense it knew, and that it had always used successfully. A blanket of coldness came down over Sesshoumaru's heart, extinguishing the feeling that was moving him so deeply. But the coldness disappeared again when he saw the tears running over Anna's face. "Why? I don't deserve this!- the girl said, covering her face with her hands and drying her tears angrily- Why have you made your apparition inside my life?!" Sesshoumaru didn't reply. Anna shook her head, frustrated, closing again her eyes. Sesshoumaru's face.his handsomeness didn't stop to enchant her, not even with that trace of blood she had made. But he seemed so changed, his coldness so fragile, ready to break in pieces with one single deed that Anna couldn't stand the sight. Why was he returned to upset her life? Why was he there, again, looking at her with those amber eyes that took away her will of fight.her will to hurt him like he deserved? "I'd prefer to die that night.- Anna said, sighing- Or be a true youkai. If only I'd lost my human soul, now my heart would be of ice. I'd not feel this pain." She clasped her hand over her chest, crying. "I wouldn't feel anything.exactly like you. I'd prefer to die!" she cried, her voice broken because the tears. Sesshoumaru run to Anna and hugged her, making her froze in surprise. "Don't say it.nevermore." Sesshoumaru whispered, looking right in her eyes and closing her mouth with a gentle hand. "Your heart.all of you is beautiful.but the ice isn't the right way to conserve it." Sesshoumaru murmured, and his intense look made Anna lost herself inside the pain of those amber eyes. Sesshoumaru took away his hand from those lips, that trembled under his palm, and caressed a cheek wet with tears. Sesshoumaru's face darkened. "I curse that night, too, because it's the cause of all this.- he said, with a cold voice- If only I'd never met you, I'd never live all this. All this humiliations, all this thoughts." Anna tried to withdraw, but Sesshoumaru didn't leave her go. "This pain I feel inside." the youkai ended. Anna turned her head. She wanted to hear him, she wanted to suffer again, more, and more, and more again. Sesshoumaru left her go and made a step behind. Anna shivered when she lost the contact with him, but she made a step behind, too, hugging herself. "You can hate me or curse me, like your eyes and your deeds tell me.- Sesshoumaru said- But I can't. It's my impossibility to hate you, to treat you as all the others, that has pushed me to do and say things.that I didn't think." Anna couldn't restrain herself and looked at him. She wanted to stop his talk. Every word made her pain more deep. At the same time, she wanted desperately hear what he wanted to say. "I've hurt you. It's the thing I can do better, and I've reached the top with you. I wanted to know what there was behind the door of your heart, but instead of search the key, I've broke it down.- Sesshoumaru said, then he made a strange smile- My brother said to me: " When you find something precious, you destroy it." and I laughed at him. But, maybe, my brother is less stupid than he seems, because now, that you are here, in front of me, I understand how near I was to destroy you. And I'm still near." Sesshoumaru looked at her and his face became of stone. "You've hurt me, Anna, even if you don't believe me. Whatever will happen from now on, you'll be the only one that's been able to hurt so deeply the great Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru said. "How much do you think I care?!- Anna attacked him, fighting her confusion and a fool hope- It's not this the way I wanted to use for reach your heart!" "You've destroyed my armour. I'd only have to hate you." Sesshoumaru whispered, corrugating his forehead. Anna made another step behind, squeezing her fists. "But I can't." Anna stopped, astonished, and looked at Sesshoumaru. The kindness, the tension she could read over his face made her stand unmoving. Why, why had he still so much power over her?! Why couldn't she stand the sight of him.so hurt? Why?! "Do.Do I still love him?" Anna asked to herself, her heartbeat almost stopped, while the answer appeared clearly inside her soul. "Listen, Anna, because I don't repeat myself.- Sesshoumaru said, making a step ahead- In every case, I'll never give up, and I'm able to use all the eternity if I desire something. This is my word, and you know that it's the truth." Anna stood in silence. The tension was untenable, while Sesshoumaru, for the first time in his life, searched enough guts to finish what he had started. This was the reason he didn't see the puzzled and then horrified expression of Anna's face. "Anna, I." "Sesshoumaru, watch out!" Anna cried, moving like a lighten. Sesshoumaru felt Anna's hands hit his chest and push him away. Then his world exploded. *** Inuyasha saw them arrive from everywhere. "Damn." he said, while Kagome clutched his kariginu, worried. "Inuyasha." Kagome said. "It's the Big Family.- Inuyasha said, without low his guard- I'm afraid we have to stop for a while." Inuyasha stopped and Kagome stood behind him. Inuyasha put one hand over Tetsusaiga's hilt. The inu-youkais had started to converge around him. "Kagome, don't talk and don't react.- Inuyasha whispered- They're more dangerous than they seem." Kagome looked at Inuyasha. He was nervous, but he showed only dignity while he waited the inu-youkais. Inuyasha had told to Kagome that the Big Family was liable for the flight of Inuyasha and his mother from the Palace. Kagome knew what hartred Inuyasha felt for the inu-youkais that were surrounding him. It was their fault if he had lived so bad. It was their fault if his mother, after a poor life, without the chance to live with humans because his hanyou son, fell ill and then died. Inuyasha's pain was hers, now. Kagome put one hand over his shoulder. She didn't want to be protect. She wanted to say to Inuyasha that she was always there, at his side. He seemed to understand, because gave her a brief smile. The inu-youkais, twenty, more or less, surrounded them, closing them inside their distant and cold auras. "Inuyasha! Kagome-sama!" Inuyasha and the old youkai in front of him turned to the voice. "Stay out." he said, with a cold voice, to his friends that were arrived. Kirara stopped outside the circle of the inu-youkais. Sango and Miroku accepted the order of their friend, but stood there tensed and ready to fight. "Son of Inuken, you are still alive." the old youkai said. At those words, the other stopped their steps. "It seems so." Inuyasha said, dry. The youkai looked at Kagome, that faced his look without any trace of fear. "But, as your father did, you've chosen a human.- the youkai went on, making a face- Luckily, Inuken had another heir." "This isn't your business." Inuyasha said, coldly, squeezing his sword's hilt. "What do you want?" "Revenge." the youkai declared, turning his eyes in the direction Sesshoumaru and Anna were disappeared. "She had broken our law." "Feh! Your law is as idiot as you.- Inuyasha said, sarcastic- Don't disturb them." "You're became too much arrogant, dirty hanyou!" said one of the younger, spitting on the ground. Inuyasha turned to him with a smile that made shiver Kagome and the others. "I don't stand insults from a youkai that has a blood ten times less powerful than Inuken's blood." Inuyasha said, freeing for an instant his youkai's aura. Feeling his power, all the inu-youkais showed a bit of nervousness. "You are.a youkai." the older said, stunned. "Now my blood is pure.- Inuyasha said- But I don't deny my human heart. And also because this, I'll not let you stop what Anna has started." Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. Its huge blade interposed itself through Inuyasha and the youkai. "I don't know what are you talking about, but we haven't time to waste with you.- he said- Carry us to her. We'll forget this Sesshoumaru's error, because he's the only one that can lead us to the battle, but we don't want to stay here more than the necessary." "I think they're afraid of Inuyasha." Shippou murmured, talking into Miroku's ear. He hid himself behind the monk when an inu-youkai turned, giving him a killer glance. "Shut up, damned kitsune.- he growled- We are inside the lands of the Lord of East. This area is full of his damned messenger." "The Lord of East?" Inuyasha asked. Suddenly, he remembered the beetle youkai that had tried to convince his to enjoy the cause of the Lord of East.to enjoy with someone that desired above all extinguish Inuken's blood. He remembered Anna's tales about how even human warriors and monks were against his brother. "What do you mean?" "His humans patrol this frontier. This zone isn't safe, for us." the old youkai said. Kagome looked away with a sudden deed. "Inuyasha.- called him, nervous- Someone.someone is near to use spiritual powers! I fell it clearly!" "Powers.chikuso!- Inuyasha growled- Sesshoumaru and Anna!" "In that direction, Inuyasha!" Miroku said, pointing more distant. "Kirara, go!" Sango cried, and the cat demon passed with one jump over the crowd of inu-youkais. "So, this is the reason you've wasted time with me.- Inuyasha said, setting his teeth- Damn! I don't let someone hurt them! Especially, not now!" Inuyasha hugged Kagome and jumped away, following Kirara. "Stop him." the old youkai said, making a deed. "Don't dare to obstruct me!" Inuyasha said, hitting with his swords the two youkais that tried to stop him. Inuyasha and the others run away. "Do we have to follow them?" asked one of the inu-youkais. "Not now.- the elderly- This could be a good chance to put into effect our revenge without move a single finger.and in the same time, that spot in our noble kind could be rubbed away." The inu-youkais nodded and stood in silence, waiting. *** "We have to arrive in time!" Inuyasha thought, running with his friends behind him, that had lost a bit of ground. Through the trees, he finally saw the figures of Anna and Sesshoumaru. The two was on their feet and looked at each other. Anna had her face wet with tears. "Sesshoumaru, watch." Inuyasha started, feeling clearly the presence of nearly ten humans all around. He couldn't end the phrase. It was evident that Sesshoumaru was too much caught inside the discussion with Anna, because he seemed not notice the humans, but Anna had understood.too late. Inuyasha saw her face became frightened. "Sesshoumaru, watch out!" the girl cried, throwing herself against the youkai. "Oh, no!" Kagome cried. From the bushes, came out seven arrows full of spiritual power, that pointed without doubt to the Youkai's Prince. "Sesshoumaru! Anna!" Inuyasha cried, while Miroku, arrived in that moment, and Kagome, tried to concentrate their powers to neutralize the arrows. "There's not enough time." Inuyasha thought, feverish. Hit by Anna, Sesshoumaru lost his balance and started to fall. Anna turned suddenly and expelled from her body almost all her energy, trying to corrupt the arrows, making them become normal weapons. A big explosion of blue light came out from Anna's body. Maybe because this, maybe because Miroku and Kagome had concentrated their powers enough, the arrows that entered inside the light broke in pieces. One.two.four.five. Inuyasha didn't see well through all that light. He saw with difficulty that the sixth arrows had became dust at few centimeters from Anna's head. Then, the light turned off. Inuyasha's sight became clear. Sesshoumaru hit the ground. Anna stood where she was.with an holy arrow that came out from her chest. "No." Inuyasha whispered. A big explosion broke the arrow in pieces.and in the same way, destroyed Anna's chest. The girl fell on the ground and stood unmoving under the horrified eyes of everybody. All this, in not more than ten seconds. 


	23. Heart of Youkai 23

CHAPTER 23 TEACH ME HOW TO LOVE "It isn't true." he thought immediately. Anna laid there, in front of him, unmoving, and the only thing he could do was fix her like he was having a simple nightmare. He hadn't the strength to reach her body and verify what kind of wounds Anna had. He hadn't enough strength to be able to talk. He couldn't even think coherently. "Anna." he murmured, his mouth dry and insensible. He noticed with difficulty that Inuyasha dn his friends was approaching him. He saw Inuyasha's mate, Kagome, go near Anna with a very upset face. "Anna." she said, touching with a trembling hand the youkai's golden hair. Anna didn't move. "Kagome-sama, it's better if you leave to me this duty." the monk, Miroku, said, approaching the girl. Sesshoumaru looked in silence the monk that turned Anna's body, without a single reaction. Miroku turned suddenly, closing his eyes and Kagome covered her mouth with her hands, while the tears started to run over her face. "Miroku." Shippou said, with the little voice trembling madly, while Sango bowed her head. "Don't look at her, Shippou.- Miroku said, his teeth settled- The arrow.has completely destroyed her chest." "Anna is." Sango said, with hoarse voice. Kagome stood up and threw herself inside Inuyasha's arms. "Oh, Inuyasha! Anna is dead!!- she sighed, covering her face in his kariginu- They've killed her, they've killed her!" Inuyasha hugged her, then looked at Sesshoumaru. "I'm sorry.- Inuyasha whispered- You haven't idea how much I'm sorry." Sesshoumaru looked again Anna's body with an astonished face, while around him, he others showed their pain in different ways. No, it wasn't true. Anna couldn't be dead. He had just found her.he was near to tell her the most important thing, the most important in his entire life. She had to listen.and then smile at him again. He wanted to return at home with her, and watch her while she play with Rin, and hear her sing in the gardens. He wanted to see Jaken's face at the sight of the return of his master.within his mate. He wanted she could teach him how to love.how to love her. God, he loved her! She couldn't she couldn't leave him in such a way! He wanted to see her smile for all the eternity. But her scent was changed. Sesshoumaru couldn't fool himself, he could smell very well that to her scent was tied the death's one. What she had desired some instant ago, now was true. The terrible words he had told to her the night he had dispelled her rebounded on him. "No.oh, no." he whispered, lowering his eyes. They had carried her away from him. Away, forever. Those damned humans, dirty servants of the Lord of East. Why hadn't he given importance to their presence? Why had he lost his coldness when he needed it?! But they'd paid.they'd paid a price very high, even if not high like the value of what he had lost. "Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha said, leaving Kagome to Sango and approaching his brother. Sesshoumaru stood up, rigid, without look at him. The youkai raised his head and sniffed the air. "Sesshoumaru, this isn't a safe place. We could be attacked again." Inuyasha said, making another step ahead. When he was hit by the anger of Sesshoumaru, he was near to lost his balance. From his brother came an evil aura not comparable to the auras of all the enemies he had defeated. Inuyasha made a face, noticing Sesshoumaru's bloody eyes. before he could tell or do anything, Sesshoumaru started to run with an incredible speed to the bushes, where the humans were hidden. The spiritual power was still in the air. "Stop, you fool! You'll be killed!" Inuyasha cried. He cursed and started to follow his brother. Sesshoumaru hadn't anything to fear from humans, but those damned holy arrows. "Inuyasha." Inuyasha's heart made a jump when the voice appeared inside his mind. A voice that came from the past.a familiar voice. "Father?!" he asked, unsure. "Tenseiga.- the voice said- Remember him Tenseiga." "Father?!" Inuyasha asked again, but this time the voice didn't reply. Tenseiga? The sword able to rescue to life one hundred demons at a time? Rescue to life.Sure! "I'll take care of this, father." Inuyasha said, running more fast and smiling with a bit of hope. To Sesshoumaru, all those spiritual powers didn't do even the tickle. His evil aura was enough to corrupt any good power those bugs tried to put into their weapons. There were also some warriors, with the monks. Sesshoumaru killed all of them, without discrimination. He didn't kill a human since the day he had saved Rin. Then, with the arrive of Anna, the only thought about killing a human had fill him of a strange uneasiness. But now, the humans had took Anna away from him. So, Sesshoumaru hit like the Death's scythe through those humans, quartering and maiming, putting his hands into their blood without a single emotion. Good. Kill, kill, and then kill again, without feel anything. Better to return to the same life as ever and spend the eternity in this way. They were all lower being. Humans. Youkais. No one was important. Anna was, but she wasn't there anymore. And every time he thought this, the sight of blood and the screams of agony made him feel better. *** "Crap! What a slaughter." Inuyasha said, making a face, looking at the quartered bodies. He understood the will of killing of his brother, he would done the same if only someone would touch his Kagome, but the cruelty of those murders was Sesshoumaru's without doubt. The youkai didn't simply kill. There were humans crying in agony with their intestines in their hands, peoples dying with blood spurted everywhere. He saw his brother snap the vertebral column of a monk with an indifferent face. "Sesshoumaru!- he called him- Sesshoumaru, stop this!" He run to him. "Don't bother me." the youkai said, giving to him a cold glance and leaving the body to the last spasms of agony, turning to search another victim. "I've said stop! This is too much!" Inuyasha said, clutching one of his shoulder. Sesshoumaru hit him right on the face, making him fall on the ground, then he turned and attacked a warrior, who was hidden, trembling, under a big bush. "Die." Sesshoumaru murmured, pointing his poisoning fingers to his stomach. Inuyasha growled, then threw himself against Sesshoumaru, blocking his arms. "I've said it's enough, you stubborn fool!" he cried, putting his brother on the ground and stopping his movements with hands and knees. The warrior run away, screaming. "Do you want to listen, a time in your life?!" Inuyasha panted, trying with difficulty to keep Sesshoumaru unmoving. "It' not your business, Inuyasha." the youkai said coldly. "Idiot! Do you really think Anna would appreciate this disaster?!" Inuyasha growled to his face. Sesshoumaru became angry. "Don't mention her. Don't dare to mention her!" he hissed, forcing Inuyasha's clutch. He was near to be defeated, but in some way he was still able to stop him. "Tell me: do you want to go on with this 'killing time' or do you want to save a life?" Inuyasha said, fixing him right in the eyes. "What are you saying, you fo." Sesshoumaru started to reply, without thinking, then he paled. "Tenseiga." he murmured, without voice. Inuyasha nodded. "I don't know how to use it, but he may rescue Anna's life." Inuyasha said. A second later, he was on the ground and Sesshoumaru was already running to the place Anna's body was. *** "How couldn't I think about it?!- Sesshoumaru whispered- Father, I hope to be in time!" He came out in the clearing like a flash, while Inuyasha, behind him, couldn't run as fast as him. "Please, I must be in time." he thought, feverish, unsheathing Tenseiga from the scabbard. Suddenly, the door between the real world and the spiritual one became clear to his eyes. Anna's body was cold, dead and dark without her soul inside. "No! She can't be already taken away, she can't." he thought, running to her. He looked all around, searching the creatures that were carrying Anna's soul far from him.that maybe had already carried her away. "No! Only because I've always underestimated this sword.only because this, am I losing her?!" he thought desperate. "Look up, son." "Father?" Sesshoumaru whispered, astonished. "Look up." Sesshoumaru lifted up his eyes. There, flying away, the spirits of heaven were fulfilling their duty. Sesshoumaru showed his fangs in an angry face and squeezed Tenseiga's hilt. "Don't dare to touch her!" he cried, making an incredible jump and striking a blow with the sword. The spirits died under the sword's power.leaving free the soul they had in their hands. Sesshoumaru landed again on the ground, grasping the sword with a tired but serene face. "Thank you, father." he murmured. "Good luck.my son." Sesshoumaru looked at the sword he had in his hand, the sword he had always underestimated. His heritage. "Thank you." Sesshoumaru repeated, sheathing Tenseiga, while Inuyasha reached him. *** Inuyasha on his side, his friends to the other, watched with surprise the incredible jump of Sesshoumaru. "Don't dare to touch her!" the youkai cried, while he made a strike with his sword.hitting nothing. "It could be that the terrible lost has driven him crazy." Miroku said, while Sesshoumaru returned on the ground with a tired but satisfied expression over his face. "I don't understand." Sango murmured, while Kagome dried her tears, trying to stop to cry. Shippou approached Anna's body, while tears run down his little face, and caressed her hair. "I liked you very much." he said, trying to not start to sigh. He wanted to kiss her, even if Miroku had said to not look at her. Shippou was a child, but he had seen so many carnage that if he'd not had the courage to made that last love's deed, he would not have the courage to see his face on the mirror anymore. So, he removed Anna's hair from her face, ready to see the terrible wound on her chest. But he became astonished, not horrified. "Mi.Mi." he stuttered. "Shippou-chan, we've said." Kagome whispered, approaching him and misunderstanding his stuttering. "MIROKU!!! You've lied, Anna's chest hasn't any terrible wound!" Shippou screamed. "Shippou, what are you saying?!" Sango asked, puzzled. Miroku corrugated his forehead and reached Anna's body. "Shippou, don't be ridicou." the monk started, than paled. "Miroku, what." Kagome asked. Miroku lift up his eyes on the girls, astonished. "Her wound is disappeared.- he said- And.she's breathing." They stood in a surprised silence. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru arrived in that moment. "Give her to me." Sesshoumaru said, dry, kneeling on the ground and taking Anna from Miroku's arms. "Anna." he whispered. The hope fill his body when he saw her breathing. "Anna, please, wake up." he murmured, caressing her cheek, forgetting completely the people all around them. "Please, wake up." he thought, trembling with anticipation. And Anna opened her eyes. All them held their breath when the long eyelashes trembled and then raised up, showing to them Anna's blue eyes.living eyes that, after a moment of confusion, focused theirself on Sesshoumaru's face. "Sesshoumaru." she murmured. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe to what he saw. Anna was there, in his arms, alive. She was looking at him.she had just called his name. For a moment, he didn't understood the surprised face of the girl. Then he saw her lift up one hand and touch his cheek.and her fingers were wet of tears. Of HIS tears, that were running from his eyes unconsciously. He was crying for the first time in his life. "Sesshoumaru, you are crying." Anna whispered, pretty near to cry herself. Sesshoumaru hugged her, hiding his face in her hair. "Don't do it.nevermore.- he said, with voice so low that only Anna could hear him- You were so near to go away.and I hadn't said to you how I love you." Anna's eyes became wide, then full of tears. "I love you too, stupid.- she murmured, hugging him back- I'll never leave you again. I promise. I promise." *** "I've not understand anything of what is happened." Shippou said, puzzled. "Sesshoumaru has used Tenseiga just in time." Inuyasha explained. "So.it's all ok, now, isn't it?" Miroku asked, looking at Sango, completely forgotten by the couple still hugged. Inuyasha gave a look to the two and hugged Kagome, who was moved. "Till the next argue, I think so.- Inuyasha said, whit a smile Kagome judged very sweet- Leave them alone. They'll enjoy us when they'll be ready. Now, it's better to control that the inu-youkais aren't around anymore." More with constraint that with persuasion, Inuyasha forced his friends to return to the village. Anna and Sesshoumaru stood alone in the clearing. "Are those human pains in the neck gone away?" Sesshoumaru whispered after one moment. Anna giggled and moved a bit, drying her tears. The two looked in each other eyes. "You've killed humans." Anna murmured, touching one of his bloody hands. Sesshoumaru darkened and Anna smiled. "It's not a rebuke. If I'd not been able to save you, I'd done the same." Sesshoumaru caressed her face. "I'll not let to anyone to hurt you.- he whispered- Not even to me. I'll not let you die anymore." "I may promise the same to you." Anna said, whit a smile. Sesshoumaru replied with another smile. "Would you grant a wish?" he said. "As you wish, my Sesshoumaru-sama." Anna joked. "How many time have I said to not call me in that way?" Sesshoumaru whispered, before kiss her. Anna felt all the feelings inside that kiss.very different from the angry and violent kiss of the night that had separated them. His desperation when she had died, the hope when he had used Tenseiga, the love.Yes, now she could feel it. Sesshoumaru's heart, an heart of youkai, cold and without emotions, now could love. And it loved her. Anna passed her arms around Sesshoumaru's neck and kissed him with passion. When they separated, out of breath, stood hugged, forehead against forehead, for a while. "Would you return to home, Anna?" Sesshoumaru asked, in the end. Anna smiled. "Yes.- she murmured- Let's go to home." *** "So, you go with him, Anna." Kagome said, talking with the youkai girl. "Yes." Anna said, giving a look to Sesshoumaru, who was walking away with Inuyasha. Sango and Kagome noticed how much love there was in that look. "I return to home." "I'm happy for you, Anna.- Kagome said, hugging her- Very, very happy." "Thanks, Kagome." Anna murmured, hugging her back. "Are you sure, child?- Kaede asked, worried- By the way, he's always the same Sesshoumaru." "I don't want him changed, Kaede-sama.- Anna said- I only wanted he could love me, and now he does. If we'll change, we'll change together." "Good luck, my sweet Anna.- Miroku said, kissing her hand- Come back soon." "And be sure, I'll take care of this hentai." Sango said, smiling and in the same time suffocating the poor monk.that was putting an hand where he couldn't. "I think we'll meet again soon, guys.- Anna said, amused- Take care of yourself." "I'll miss you, Anna!" Shippou said, hugging her. "I too, Shippou-chan.- Anna said, hugging him with love- When you'll come to see me I'll introduce you to Rin-chan." "Well, I go. I'll greet Inuyasha and.well.I'll miss you, my friends." she said, smiling and turning to reach Sesshoumaru. "We'll miss you too, Anna.- Kagome whispered- We'll miss you too." The friends stood unmoving, watching her departure. *** "So, you've heard it too." Inuyasha asked, surprised. "Our father's voice? Yes." Sesshoumaru said, looking away with a thoughtful face. Inuyasha nodded, then darkened. Sesshoumaru was ready to go. The inu-youkais had left the place when they had noticed Anna's death, so for sometime they could be stay in peace. The brief interlude of brotherhood was near to an end. If he knew well Sesshoumaru, he'd been returned cold as ever very soon. Maybe, he was already thinking about how to take away his Tetsusaiga. "I was thinking." Sesshoumaru said. Inuyasha gave him a suspect glance and Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Is this the way to look at your brother?" "I've not faith in your thoughts.- Inuyasha said- Usually, I'm badly involved." Sesshoumaru thought about it, then nodded. "Well, I thought you can keep Tetsusaiga with you." he said. Inuyasha look at him with such astonishment that Sesshoumaru became annoyed. "Ehi, are you sick or something?" Inuyasha asked. "Maybe you've forgotten the meaning of the word 'respect', Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said. "Well, you can't say this isn't strange, for you.- Inuyasha said, trying to return normal- It's all my life that you follow me for Tetsusaiga." "I still don't like the idea of that beautiful sword in such a fool's hand.- Sesshoumaru said, acid- But." He looked at Tenseiga and touched its scabbard. "I think that my inheritance isn't less than your." Inuyasha made a brief smile and Sesshoumaru looked at him with a dark face. "This doesn't mean nothing for our relationship. You're always the same unbearable flea." he said, coldly. "Feh! And you the same icicle as ever." Inuyasha replied. The two gave to each other a flare glance, than Sesshoumaru shook his head. "The Lord of East.he'll pay what he has almost done to me. You're on his lands. You must to choose." Sesshoumaru said. "I'll fight at your side. For our father, not because of you." Inuyasha said, seeing the girl that was approaching them. "I don't care. At least, you don't deny your blood." Sesshoumaru nodded, with a brief smile. He turned to Anna. "Can we go, now?" he asked. She nodded. "Goodbye, Inuyasha.- she said, offering her hand to him- Thank you.for all." "Feh, I don't know how much it will resist, but good luck." Inuyasha muttered, shake her hand. Anna smiled, then she went near Sesshoumaru, that took wing with her. "Come soon to the Palace. We've to talk." Sesshoumaru said. "Don't worry, I'll come." Inuyasha answered. The youkai watched the departure of the two. He turned when he noticed Kagome near him. He smiled. "Do you know, Kagome?- he said, hugging her- I've the foreboding all will be fine." He looked again where the two were disappeared. "Yes.- he murmured, while she took one of his hands in her one- From now on, all will be fine." *** He saw them arriving from the back of the Palace, the Prince of Youkais and his new mate. "At home, finally." the prince with silver hair whispered. "Why all this secrecy?" the girl asked. He surrounded her waist with his arms. "Because this is our night.- the youkai murmured- I don't want to be disturbed." "Oh." the girl murmured, blushing. She lowered her head. "I think.you'll have much to teach me." The youkai smiled. "I hope so." he said, kissing her. He had seen enough. His son was happy. He left him in good hands. With a smile, Inuken went away, leaving the living's world to return to his bride, to the woman he had loved beyond the death. His desire was been granted. "Thank you, Anna" he whispered. The girl seemed to notice something, because stopped the kiss. In front of the puzzled face of Sesshoumaru, Anna shook her head and smiled. The two went inside the Palace and the door closed again behind them.  
  
Author's note: This is the eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeend.....SOB, SIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH T_T With this, Anna and Sesshoumaru's story ends. I really hope you've liked it, even if it's my first fic. A big thank you too all those who have had the patience to read my story and send me comments. You've walked with me for two months, more or less, and I really thank you all. This fanfiction will have a sequel, 'The wishes' spring', but you'll must wait it for a while, because I've to finish many things before! I hope you'll have the patience to wait and that you'll not forget Anna.ç_ç and me!! Please, remember me! Kisses and see ya! Vania Major 


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